On Wednesday, Real Madrid will face Benfica at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium at 5 PM Argentine time as part of the UEFA Champions League playoffs 2025-2026. The match will be officiated by Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic, and fans can watch it live on ESPN and stream it on Disney+ Premium. Additionally, live updates and statistics will be available on canchallena.com.

This matchup is crucial for Real Madrid as they aim to progress further in the Champions League. Having finished ninth in the group stage last season, they need to overcome this playoff to advance directly to the knockout stages, something they achieved previously in the 2024-2025 season. Key players such as Nicolás Otamendi and Barrenechea are expected to start for Benfica, while Mastantuono will likely be on the bench for the home side.

The significance of this game extends beyond just a simple playoff; it reaffirms the traditions of competition between top European clubs. For both teams, the stakes are high as advancing further in this prestigious tournament is crucial financially and in terms of reputation, particularly for Real Madrid, a club with a rich history in the Champions League. Fans are eager to see whether Real Madrid can utilize their home advantage to secure victory against a strong Benfica side.