Arbeloa Sticks with 4-4-2 as Mbappé Returns to Real Madrid XI for Benfica Playoff First Leg
Real Madrid head into the Champions League playoff first leg against Benfica with a familiar tactical shape and a notable attacking change: Kylian Mbappé is back in the starting XI. Manager Álvaro Arbeloa has confirmed a 4-4-2 setup that produced positive displays recently, while suspensions and injuries force adjustments across the squad.
Tactical continuity: the 4-4-2 and midfield balance
Arbeloa has opted to maintain a 4-4-2 formation that dominated Real Sociedad and was effective, to a lesser extent, against Valencia. The plan relies on a compact midfield three — Federico Valverde, Tchouaméni and Camavinga — providing both defensive cover and transitional control. Ahead of that trio, Arda Güler is granted a freer role to craft chances and link play to the front two.
This configuration is presented as a pragmatic response to current squad availability. With Jude Bellingham sidelined through injury, the central engine room needs to be reliable and mobile; the chosen midfield trio offers intensity and the ability to shield the defense while Güler operates with more creative freedom. Arbeloa’s continuity suggests confidence in the structure that limited opponents recently, while keeping an eye on how the setup might evolve when key players return.
Personnel shifts: suspensions, returns and the attack
Several forced absences shaped the matchday selection. Asencio is unavailable following a red card in the prior Da Luz encounter, and Rodrygo is also out after receiving a red card in that same match plus a subsequent two-game suspension. In addition, Bellingham remains injured and is not part of the matchday squad. These gaps have left Arbeloa to juggle personnel choices ahead of a high-stakes two-legged tie against Mourinho’s Benfica.
There is welcome news at the back: Rüdiger returns from fitness issues and slots into central defence alongside Miguel Huijsen. Trent and Carreras occupy the fullback positions after strong recent performances, and Thibaut Courtois is an undisputed pick in goal. The reintroduction of Rüdiger bolsters defensive experience and aerial presence, a factor that will be important against a physically imposing opponent.
Upfront, Mbappé returns from a rest in the Valencia game and pairs with Vinícius in a two-pronged attack. That decision pushes Gonzalo to the bench despite his useful contribution and opening goal in the recent match against Real Sociedad. Mbappé’s re-entry into the starting lineup signals Arbeloa’s desire to combine pace and directness with Vinícius’s wide threat, seeking to unsettle Benfica’s back line from the outset.
Context and the challenge ahead
The tie carries added bite after a 4-2 defeat at Da Luz three weeks earlier, a loss that endangered Real Madrid’s prospects in the competition and included a dramatic late fourth goal from Benfica’s goalkeeper that compounded the disappointment. That result dropped Madrid out of the top eight and raised the stakes for a more composed and efficient performance this time around.
Arbeloa’s selection emphasizes stability and a belief that the 4-4-2, with a disciplined midfield base and creative freedom for the number 10, offers the best immediate route back into contention. With two more matches against the same opponent looming in this mini-series, the team must improve its defensive concentration and take its chances in attack to avoid another painful surprise.
The confirmed eleven for the first leg reads: Courtois; Trent, Rüdiger, Huijsen, Carreras; Valverde, Güler, Tchouaméni, Camavinga; Mbappé and Vinícius. The setup mixes experience, returning fitness and tactical trust as Real Madrid chase redemption on enemy turf.
