Is Real Madrid Heading Into Benfica Decider Without Kylian Mbappé? Knee Problem Forces Big Uncertainty

This is a moment of acute uncertainty for Real Madrid: their leading forward is missing the Champions League second leg against Benfica while questions swirl over discipline and crowd tension. Kylian Mbappé is not in the confirmed squad for the Santiago Bernabéu game, and the club faces an immediate tactical challenge plus two high-profile LaLiga fixtures that follow.

Is the tie now at greater risk because Mbappé is sidelined?

The risk is twofold: on-pitch momentum and short-term squad options. Madrid go into the second leg holding a 1-0 aggregate lead from the first match in Lisbon, where Vinícius Júnior scored the decisive goal and Mbappé played the entire game. With Mbappé absent from the squad, coach Álvaro Arbeloa must reorganize attacking responsibilities for a match at the Santiago Bernabéu that kicks off on Wednesday at 9pm (20: 00 GMT).

Event details and immediate lineup facts

Mbappé has missed selection for the Champions League playoff second leg with Benfica after ongoing discomfort in his left knee. The confirmed squad for Wednesday morning did not include the French forward. Club medical staff have been managing the issue while training on Tuesday left him feeling discomfort again.

Context from recent matches and selections in the provided coverage:

• Madrid won the first leg 1-0 in Lisbon, with Vinícius Júnior scoring and Mbappé completing 90 minutes.
• Mbappé missed Madrid's LaLiga match with Real Sociedad on Feb. 14.
• His left knee troubled him before Christmas; he missed the Champions League clash with Manchester City on Dec. 10 and in January was able to play only a few minutes of the Spanish Supercopa.
• His movement appeared restricted in Madrid's 2-1 LaLiga defeat at Osasuna.

Medical, coach comments and squad management

Club doctors have been trying to manage Mbappé's left-knee problem. He felt discomfort in training on Tuesday and was not included in the squad announced on Wednesday morning. Coach Álvaro Arbeloa praised Mbappé's commitment and described him as prepared to play, highlighting the forward's determination to help the team; that stance sat alongside continuing medical caution and the final absence from the matchday group.

Disciplinary backdrop: the Prestianni suspension and wider tensions

The second leg is being played under the shadow of a separate disciplinary case. Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni has been provisionally suspended for one match in connection with allegations of racist abuse directed at Vinícius Júnior after the first game. Coverage in the set of material also stated that UEFA has suspended Prestianni from the second leg and that he could miss at least 10 games if officials find he racially abused Vinícius.

Additional context: Prestianni, described as 20 years old in the material, hid his mouth with his shirt during the confrontation and insisted he did not racially abuse the Brazilian forward. Benfica coach José Mourinho is suspended for the second leg after being sent off in the first match and has criticized Vinícius's goal celebration; one view in the material noted Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois disagreed with Mourinho's comments.

Short fixture run and scheduling the recovery

Madrid's immediate schedule after the Benfica tie is: hosting Getafe on March 2, then visiting Celta Vigo on March 7. How the club manages Mbappé's knee across these fixtures is now an operational priority for the medical and coaching staff.

Micro timeline (verifiable moments from the provided material)

• Dec. 10: Mbappé missed the Champions League match with Manchester City.
• Jan (month): Mbappé played only a few minutes of the Spanish Supercopa.
• Feb. 14: He missed Madrid's LaLiga game with Real Sociedad.
• Feb. 17: Madrid won the first leg 1-0 in Lisbon; Mbappé played the entire game.
• Wednesday (matchday): Mbappé was not named in the squad for the second leg at the Santiago Bernabéu at 9pm (20: 00 GMT).

• What’s easy to miss is how compressed the next two league fixtures are after this European decider, raising the stakes for any conservative medical approach.

Here’s the part that matters: numbers in the material differ on Mbappé's season totals. One account lists 23 LaLiga goals and 13 Champions League goals this season; another gives 38 goals in 33 appearances across all competitions, including 13 Champions League goals. The provided coverage also described him as 27 years old in one place—details that are present but not fully consistent in the material.

Short practical signals that will clarify the next turn include the club's public squad announcements for upcoming matches and any updated medical bulletins ahead of the Getafe and Celta Vigo fixtures. The real question now is how Madrid reshuffles attack and whether match tempo at the Bernabéu can compensate for Mbappé's absence while the disciplinary situation around Prestianni continues to evolve.