Major Setback For Real Madrid As Key Player Expected To Miss Crucial Champions League Second Leg Clash Against Benfica - Report

Real Madrid will lock horns with Benfica for the third time in the Champions League this season on February 26, 2026, at the Bernabeu Stadium in Spain. Notably, this time the Los Blancos will face Benfica for their second-leg of the Champions League playoff, with the first-leg ending with a 1-0 win for Real Madrid

However, the first leg was marred by controversy when Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior accused Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni of racially abusing him during the match. Following the match, UEFA put an one match ban on Gianluca Prestianni because of the seriousness of the allegations.

Another player who could likely miss the crucial clash is Kylian Mbappe. According to L'Equipe, the French striker interrupted training on Tuesday, and his presence in the Benfica clash looks doubtful due to his issues with knee injury.

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Kylian Mbappe Likely To Miss Benfica Clash

According to several reports, Kylian Mbappe is unlikely to feature in the second leg of the Champions League playoff clash. The club's doctors have flagged his issue to the Madrid management, and the final decision could see the player sitting out the Benfica clash.

Notably, if Kylian Mbappe were to feature in the match against the Portuguese club, he would need a 10-day break to recover after playing full minutes due to his issues with his knee. Mbappe has been a crucial player to the Los Blancos since the start of the season, scoring  38 goals in all competitions, but has been doing so whilst nursing a problem in his left knee.

Kylian Mbappe Has Faced Trouble Since December

The player's left knee has troubled him since December, as he missed Real Madrid's clash against Manchester City on December 10. Additionally, in January, he was only able to play a few minutes against Barcelona in the Super Copa final.