Benfica vs Real Madrid Preview: Start Time, Team News, How To Watch, Live Stream & Odds
Real Madrid travel to Portugal to face Benfica in the final league phase game of the Champions League on January 28. A win for Alvaro Arbeloa's team would guarantee a top-eight spot, resulting in automatic progression to the Round of 16.
A point may be enough as would a loss, but they would need other results to go in their favor. However, it's in their own hands, with the team not wanting an extra two games in February like they did last season.
Los Blancos come up against Benfica, and a former head coach, Jose Mourinho. The Eagles have a slim chance of still making the playoff stage. A win and other results going in their favor would mean they would sneak in, so there is plenty to play for in this game.
Arbeloa's side are coming off a strong display against third-place Villarreal, winning 2-0 on the road, after beating Monaco 6-1. The performances under Arbeloa have looked good, aside from his first game in the Copa del Rey upset. Is Real Madrid building some momentum under the new coach?
Benfica won their league game at the weekend, following a loss to Juventus in their previous Champions League game. They could be. dangerous opponents for Arbeloa's side, who will need to silence the crowd quickly.
The two teams have surprisingly met only three times in Europe, the last time being back in 1965. Benfica won a two-legged quarter-final 6-3 on aggregate.
Real Madrid team news
Reports suggest that Antonio Rudiger and Trent Alexander-Arnold will miss the Benfica game. However, they could be back for the weekend game against Rayo Vallecano in La Liga. Eder Militao and Ferland Mendy are also still out injured.
Alvaro Carreras returns after his suspension against Monaco, and should go straight back into the team after starting at the weekend. Aurélien Tchouaméni missed the Villarreal game through suspension, and also could return to the starting lineup.
📋✅ Our squad for the match!
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) January 27, 2026
🆚 @slbenfica_en pic.twitter.com/e7dTtfZ1jc
Benfica vs Real Madrid odds
Odds courtesy of DraftKings.
Moneyline:
Benfica: +320
Draw: +330
Real Madrid: -140
Both teams to score:
Yes: -200
No: +155
Total goals:
Benfica: 1.5 (Over +150; Under: -220)
Real Madrid: 1.5 (Over -195; Under: +135)
Double chance:
Benfica or tie: +110
Real Madrid or tie: -450
Benfica or Real Madrid: -450
Benfica vs Real Madrid date
Date: Wednesday, January 238, 2025
Benfica vs Real Madrid kick-off time
Time: 3:00 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT / 8:00 p.m. GMT (9:00 p.m. local time)
How to watch & live stream Benfica vs Real Madrid
United States: ESPN +, ESPN Deportes.
Canada: TSN+.
United Kingdom: Discovery+
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
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-031bbeb5612ca252e2129722373fa56d.png "Jordan Merritt")
Jordan Merritt is a staff writer for Real Madrid On SI. Before joining On SI, he wrote at Fansided, covering Ole Miss football, basketball, and baseball. He has also written for YardBarker, Heavy Sports, and the official EFL site. Merritt is a big sports fan, spending most of his weekends watching Soccer, the NFL, the NBA, college football/basketball, and others. Before starting his career as a freelance writer, Merritt was an Engineer for over 10 years. He lives in West Yorkshire, England, and is keenly interested in sports trading cards.
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