Three Things Real Madrid Must Do Differently to Defeat Benfica

Los Blancos’ fate in the Champions League depends on their ability to avenge their last loss.

Real Madrid need to right their past wrongs on Tuesday night. | Victor Carretero/Real Madrid/Getty Images

Standing in Real Madrid’s way of the Champions League round of 16 is a pesky Benfica side led by a familiar face—and foe—in José Mourinho.

The 15-time European champions had already begun planning for a light February ahead of their final league phase game back in January. They sat third in the table, guaranteed to directly advance to the last 16 with a win over their final opponents Benfica. Even a draw would have seen Los Blancos remain in the top eight.

Álvaro Arbeloa’s men were positively dreadful in Lisbon, though, and suffered a 4–2 defeat that sent them down to ninth place and the knockout phase playoffs. A stroke of fate pit Real Madrid against Benfica again, but this time, the stakes are much higher.

With two weeks to analyze what went wrong at the Estádio da Luz, the Spanish giants now have a clear picture of what they must do differently to walk away with a win this time around in the Champions League.

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Ignore Mourinho’s Mind Games

José Mourinho called Real Madrid “wounded.” | Patricia De Melo Moreira/AFP/Getty Images

Before there is even a game to be played, there is one unfolding off the pitch in the build-up to Tuesday’s bout. There is perhaps no one better at the microphone than Mourinho, who knows all the buttons to push for just about any team in the world, let alone his former club, now managed by his former player.

The Portuguese boss was brimming with confidence in his prematch press conference, reminding journalists—and Real Madrid—that he’s the more experienced manager on the touchline, and he has already put together a masterful game plan to stun European football’s most successful side this season.

“I’ve been doing it all my life,” Mourinho said. “We will play the first leg with our heads, ambition and confidence. We know what we did to the kings of the Champions League. They are wounded.”

Arbeloa, who harped on his connection to Mourinho before January’s reunion, must not pay any mind to the 63-year-old’s antics this time around, or fall into the trap laid out by his former boss. The Spaniard cannot be intimidated by his opponent’s résumé or the tactics; the focus must remain on getting his players ready to do their talking on the pitch, something he failed to do back in January.

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Patch Up Clear Deficiencies Across the Pitch

Trent Alexander-Arnold gives Real Madrid a defensive and attacking boost. | Guillermo Martinez/NurPhoto/Getty Images

In Real Madrid’s league phase clash with Benfica, they were wildly unbalanced due to injuries and an unfavorable 4-1-2-3 formation. To make matters worse, Arbeloa’s side were lacking in defense, midfield and attack.

The center-back pairing of Dean Huijsen and Raúl Asencio was shaky at best, made even more unstable by Federico Valverde starting at right back. Aurélien Tchouaméni was left on an island in the midfield and did little more than chase ghosts in his 55 minutes on the pitch. Up top, Franco Mastantuono barely got involved and was careless in possession.

The good news for Arbeloa is that he has in-house solutions to all the aforementioned woes, ready to be deployed on Tuesday. Antonio Rüdiger and Trent Alexander-Arnold are back to shore-up the backline, Valverde and Eduardo Camavinga will aid Tchouaméni in the midfield and Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappé will lead the line by themselves, completing a 4-4-2 that has won Real Madrid many of their recent games.

With a more balanced, experienced XI, Los Blancos stand a far greater chance of securing a victory in Lisbon than the thrown-together team that conceded four goals in the league phase finale.

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Maintain Composure No Matter What

Raúl Asencio (right) was sent off last time out against Benfica. | Filipe Amorim/AFP/Getty Images

Benfica were the better team last time these two sides faced off, but make no mistake—Real Madrid had plenty of self-inflicted wounds that did them no favors. Tchouaméni conceded a needless penalty, Asencio and Rodrygo were sent off and poor, lazy marking allowed goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin to get on the scoresheet.

Sloppy mistakes and erupting tempers have become far too commonplace with Los Blancos this season. When things aren’t going well, the team seemingly lacks the composure to keep its cool and fight back to salvage a result.

Along with their Benfica implosion, the Spanish giants also fell apart against second-tier side Albacete, crashing out of the Copa del Rey in the round of 16. They self-destructed against Celta Vigo in La Liga as well, finishing the game with nine men and zero points against a far inferior opponent.

There is a lack of leadership on the pitch in these dire moments, someone to keep everyone level-headed and focused on the common goal: to win the game. As captain, Valverde needs to step up and reign in his troops if the pitch starts to tilt in favor of Benfica on Tuesday.

With their Champions League berth on the line, Real Madrid have no room for mental mistakes in key moments.

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