Real Madrid's Portuguese Streak Faces Benfica in a Chilled Champions League Showdown

Match Preview

Real Madrid heads to Lisbon for a Champions League clash with Benfica, riding a notable Portuguese run and hoping to repeat an early-season milestone under the competition's revamped format.

The visitors are the favorites as the tie opens in Benfica’s city, with the return leg in Madrid scheduled for next week.

Madrid are seeking revenge after Benfica beat them 2-4 in the most recent league meeting, a result that pushed Real Madrid into the playoff rather than a direct spot in the knockout rounds.

Head-to-Head & Recent Form

Opta data show Real Madrid have won eight of their last ten encounters against Portuguese clubs in the Champions League, scoring an average of 2.2 goals per game.

Benfica, by contrast, have won just two of their last eight matches against Spanish sides in the competition (one draw, five losses).

Meanwhile, Benfica have won their last two home Champions League games, 2-0 against Napoli and 4-2 against Real Madrid, underscoring their strong home form.

Real Madrid have had mixed results in the competition recently, with 11 CL matches yielding six losses and five wins.

Before this run, their six prior CL losses stretched across 39 games (April 2022 to March 2025).

Benfica's home form includes two wins in their last two home CL games (2-0 vs Napoli, 4-2 vs Real Madrid). The only time they won three consecutive home games in a single CL season was 1994-95, after the competition's name change.

Benfica has three wins in four clashes with Real Madrid in the European Cup/Champions League, with the most recent victory coming in this season’s encounter.

Punchline 1: If defense were a weapon, Benfica would be a tank—slow to start, relentless to finish. Punchline 2: Real Madrid’s plan is simple: score, celebrate, then pretend the scoreboard is a mirage and sip another espresso.