This is the sixth meeting between Real Madrid and Benfica in the European Cup/Champions League – although Madrid won the first leg of this tie, Benfica are one of two sides they have faced 5+ times in the competition and lost more games (3) than they’ve won (2), along with Milan (P16 W6 D3 L7).
Real Madrid and Benfica will meet in the UEFA Champions League for a third consecutive game (MD8 of the group phase, first/second leg of the play-offs). It’s the first fixture in Champions League history to be played three times in a row in the same season.
Real Madrid have progressed from 22 of their last 23 UEFA Champions League knockout ties when they have won the first leg – the exception in this run was against Ajax in the last 16 in 2018-19 (2-1 first leg, 1-4 second leg).
Benfica have progressed through just one of their eight previous knockout ties in major European competition when losing the first leg at home – they lost 1-0 to Dinamo Bucuresti in the 1999-00 UEFA Cup first round, before winning 2-0 away from home to advance to the next round.
Real Madrid won 1-0 in the first leg against Benfica but they’ve only won both legs of one of their last seven UEFA Champions League knockout ties, beating Man City twice in last season’s play-offs.
None of Real Madrid’s last 25 UEFA Champions League matches have been drawn (W16 L9), while none of Benfica’s last 11 have been drawn (W3 L8). Only Liverpool (29) and Marseille (32) are on longer runs without a draw than Los Blancos’ run of 25.
Real Madrid have kept 115 clean sheets in the UEFA Champions League, the joint most of any side (since 1992-93) along with Bayern Munich. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois kept his 33rd in the competition in the first leg 1-0 win, levelling Oliver Kahn for the joint 9th most in Champions League history. His next clean sheet will put him level with former Milan goalkeeper Dida on 34.
Benfica manager José Mourinho is winless in his last nine UEFA Champions League knockout games (D4 L5), losing his last four in a row. It is the longest run without a win by any manager in knockout matches in Champions League history.
Kylian Mbappé has been involved in 14 goals in the UEFA Champions League this season (13 goals, 1 assist), the most by a Real Madrid player in a season since Karim Benzema in 2021-22 (15 goals, 2 assists). He now has 25 assists in the competition overall, level with Thierry Henry and behind only Benzema (27) and Zinedine Zidane (26) among French players.
Arda Güler turns 21 on the day of this game. He has created 25 chances in the UEFA Champions League this season, the most by any player before the age of 21 in a season Opta has on record since 2003-04. While aged 21 or younger, the most in that time is 31 by his Real Madrid teammate Vinícius Júnior in 2021-22 (31).