Is Kylian Mbappé Fit for the Bernabeu? Real’s Forward a Serious Doubt for Benfica Decider
Kylian Mbappé is a serious doubt for Real Madrid’s Champions League play-off decider against Benfica on Wednesday because of continued discomfort in his left knee. The uncertainty matters now because the tie is finely poised — Real hold a 1-0 aggregate lead — and Benfica will arrive without a key player and their coach on the touchline.
Is Kylian Mbappé’s left knee the deciding factor?
The 27-year-old forward has been coping with knee pain since December and has missed several matches, including Real Madrid’s home win over Real Sociedad this month and the Supercopa de Espana semi-final against Atletico Madrid. He has, however, completed 90 minutes in Madrid’s last two games, including the first-leg 1-0 victory in Lisbon.
Mbappé experienced discomfort toward the end of Tuesday’s training session, and club staff are described as pessimistic about his chances of recovering in time. Club officials indicated that a final decision will take place on Wednesday after discussions between Mbappé and Madrid head coach Alvaro Arbeloa. People close to the player believe he is unlikely to feature.
Arbeloa said on Tuesday that the France international is "ready to play" while acknowledging that "everyone knows he’s been dealing with discomfort for several weeks. " Mbappé has scored 38 goals in 33 appearances across all competitions this season, including 13 in the Champions League, raising the stakes over whether he is risked for the Bernabeu decider.
Santiago Bernabeu: a one-goal margin and a 9pm kick-off
The second leg of the Champions League playoff will be played at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid on Wednesday at 9pm (20: 00 GMT). Real Madrid go into the match with a slender 1-0 aggregate lead after Vinicius Junior’s second-half strike in the first leg at the Estadio da Luz last week.
Benfica travel to Madrid looking to overturn that one-goal deficit and reach the last 16. The fixture has been overshadowed by the events in Lisbon, and media build-up is scheduled from 17: 00 GMT on Al Jazeera Sport in advance of live coverage.
Gianluca Prestianni suspended and the racial abuse allegations
Benfica forward Gianluca Prestianni has been provisionally suspended "without prejudice" by UEFA for one match after allegations that he racially abused Vinicius Jr following the first leg. The 20-year-old midfielder, who hid his mouth with his shirt during the confrontation, insists he did not racially abuse the Brazilian.
Vinicius wrote on social media that "racists are above all cowards" after the game, and Mbappé publicly backed his teammate, saying he had heard Prestianni call Vinicius a "monkey. " UEFA’s disciplinary process could extend the ban substantially: Prestianni could miss at least 10 games if the governing body finds he racially abused Vinicius.
Jose Mourinho’s suspension and touchline fallout
Benfica coach Jose Mourinho is also suspended for the second leg and will not be in the dugout. Mourinho was sent off during the 1-0 first-leg defeat in Lisbon for making vituperative complaints about the officials from the touchline, and he has not set foot in the Santiago Bernabeu since leaving Real Madrid in 2013.
Mourinho has publicly criticised Vinicius’s goal celebration and complained that referee Francois Letexier was avoiding booking Madrid players who were at risk of suspension for the second leg. Mourinho said he has had his "butt on the bench for 1, 400 games" and that the referee "knew perfectly well who he could book and who he couldn't. " He added that he "won't be sitting on the bench. I can't go to the dressing room. I can't communicate with the team, " and that his assistants will carry out the match duties in his absence.
Thibaut Courtois’s reaction and what is at stake
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois disagreed with Mourinho’s criticism, saying "at the end of the day, Mourinho is Mourinho" and that he did not think Vinicius had done anything wrong with his celebration. Courtois added that "I don't think we can justify alleged racism because of a celebration. "
What makes this notable is the confluence of factors shaping selection and atmosphere: a potential absence of Mbappé because of a lingering left-knee problem, a high-profile suspension for a young Benfica player with further sanctions possible, and Mourinho’s enforced distance from his team. Together, those elements amplify the match’s sporting and disciplinary significance, with both clubs facing immediate consequences from events in the first leg.
