Is Kylian Mbappé Out for Real Madrid vs Benfica at the Bernabéu?
Kylian Mbappé is a serious doubt for Real Madrid’s Champions League play-off decider against Benfica after experiencing renewed discomfort in his left knee during training. The uncertainty matters immediately: Madrid travel into the second leg holding a 1-0 aggregate lead and could be without one of their leading scorers for Wednesday’s 9pm kick-off.
Kylian Mbappé is a doubt after left-knee discomfort
The 27-year-old forward has been carrying knee pain since December and missed several matches, including Real Madrid’s home win over Real Sociedad in La Liga this month and the Supercopa de España semi-final against Atlético Madrid. He completed 90 minutes in Madrid’s last two games, including the first-leg victory in Lisbon, but was said to be in discomfort toward the end of Tuesday’s training session, leaving club staff pessimistic about his chances of recovery.
Alvaro Arbeloa to make final call on Mbappé on Wednesday
Madrid head coach Alvaro Arbeloa will discuss the issue with Mbappé before a final selection decision is made on Wednesday. Arbeloa stated on Tuesday that the France international is “ready to play” while also acknowledging that “everyone knows he’s been dealing with discomfort for several weeks. ” Club sources indicated the choice will be taken after those discussions, though people close to the player believe he is unlikely to be fit to feature.
Match context: Champions League play-off, Santiago Bernabéu, Wednesday at 9pm (20: 00 GMT)
The tie is a Champions League play-off, second leg, at the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid with kick-off scheduled for Wednesday at 9pm (20: 00 GMT). Real Madrid carry a slender 1-0 aggregate lead after Vinicius Jr’s second-half strike in the first leg at the Estádio da Luz last week. Benfica travel to Madrid seeking to overturn that one-goal deficit and reach the last 16; broadcasters plan build-up from 17: 00 GMT in advance of the match.
Gianluca Prestianni suspended by UEFA and faces longer ban
Benfica will be without 20-year-old midfielder Gianluca Prestianni, who has been provisionally suspended “without prejudice” by UEFA for one match after allegations he racially abused Vinicius Jr in the aftermath of the Brazilian’s winner. Prestianni, who hid his mouth with his shirt during the confrontation, has denied racially abusing Vinicius. UEFA’s investigation could extend the suspension dramatically: he could miss at least 10 games if the governing body concludes he racially abused the Madrid forward.
The incident has reverberated across both squads. Vinicius posted that “racists are above all cowards” on social media after the game, and Mbappé publicly backed his teammate, saying he had heard Prestianni call Vinicius a “monkey. ”
Jose Mourinho suspended, sent off and unable to be in the dugout
Benfica coach Jose Mourinho will also be absent from the touchline after being suspended for the second leg. Mourinho was sent off during the 1-0 first-leg defeat in Lisbon for making vituperative complaints about the officials from the touchline and therefore cannot sit in the dugout, go to the dressing room, or communicate with the team on match day. Mourinho has not set foot in the Santiago Bernabéu since leaving Real Madrid in 2013.
Mourinho has criticised Vinicius’s celebration and defended his club’s reputation, arguing Benfica cannot be racist because the club’s most famous icon, Eusebio, was Black. He also accused referee Francois Letexier of avoiding bookings for Madrid players who were at risk of suspension ahead of the second leg, saying he could see who the referee would and would not book from his long experience on the bench: “I’ve had my butt on the bench for 1, 400 games and [I could see that] he knew perfectly well who he could book and who he couldn’t. ” Mourinho added that he would not be present near the team: “I [won’t be] sitting on the bench. I can’t go to the dressing room. I can’t communicate with the team, ” and acknowledged the practical handover to his assistants: “It’s hard for me, but my teammates and my assistants are there. They’ll do their job. ”
Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois publicly disagreed with Mourinho’s comments, saying: “At the end of the day, Mourinho is Mourinho. As a coach, you’re always, I think, going to defend your club and what your player has told you. The only thing that disappoints me a bit is using Vini’s celebration. I don’t think Vini did anything wrong there. I don’t think we can justify alleged racism because of a celebration. ”
What makes this notable is how injuries and disciplinary actions combine to shape selection and narrative ahead of a single decisive fixture: Mbappé’s knee issue could remove a 38-goal-per-season contributor—he has scored 38 goals in 33 appearances across all competitions this season, including 13 in the Champions League—while Benfica enter the match without a suspended midfielder and their manager on the bench, intensifying the stakes for both clubs.
