Why Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham Aren’t Playing for Real Madrid vs. Benfica

Two of Álvaro Arbeloa’s most important players will not feature at the Bernabéu.

Kylian Mbappé (left) and Jude Bellingham are nursing injuries. | Diego Souto/Getty Images

Real Madrid will be without their leading goalscorer Kylian Mbappé and their best playmaker Jude Bellingham when they host Benfica in the second leg of the Champions League knockout phase playoffs.

The 15-time European champions come into the all-important fixture with a one-goal advantage after Vinicius Junior found the back of the net in spectacular fashion at the Estádio da Luz. The racial storm that followed marred the match—and the tie—but the second leg still must be played to determine which team books its place in the round of 16.

Real Madrid are coming off a poor 2–1 defeat to Osasuna at the weekend, a result that did little to instill confidence in the team’s ability to secure another positive result against a Benfica side that will be desperate to pull off an upset at the Bernabéu.

To make matters worse, Álvaro Arbeloa will be unable to call on two of his best players.

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Why Kylian Mbappé Is Not Playing Against Benfica

Kylian Mbappé has already missed time due to the same knee injury. | Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Question marks surrounded Mbappé’s status after the Frenchman could not complete training on the eve of the clash. Turns out, the 27-year-old re-aggravated the knee injury that has bothered him since December.

Mbappé missed out on Manchester City’s trip to the Spanish capital due to the same issue and then the Spanish Super Cup semifinals against Atlético Madrid. He was not fit enough to start in the final either, making just a brief cameo off the bench in what wound up being a triumph for Barcelona in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Things were looking up when Mbappé returned to regular action in the ensuing weeks, but he then was a doubt for the first leg against Benfica. The forward played the game through the issue, as well as the team’s La Liga bout with Osasuna, but it appears he has reached his breaking point.

Reports indicate Mbappé will only be out for around 10 days, which means the former PSG standout would be back in time for the Champions League round of 16 ... should Real Madrid survive without him.

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Why Jude Bellingham Is Not Playing Against Benfica

Jude Bellingham is still out for the foreseeable future. | Thomas COEX/AFP/Getty Images

Bellingham joins Mbappé on the sidelines due to the long-term hamstring injury he suffered at the beginning of the month. The issue was worse than the club originally thought, and reports claim the England international could be out of action until after the March international break.

Real Madrid learned how to get by without Bellingham after he underwent shoulder surgery last summer that kept him out for the first two months of the season. But the team is nowhere near its best so long as the No. 10 is stuck in the infirmary.

Losing Bellingham and Mbappé for such an important Champions League clash would be bad enough, but Arbeloa also cannot call upon the injured Éder Militão, Dean Huijsen and Dani Ceballos, along with the suspended Rodrygo.

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