Official: Real Madrid starting lineup against SL Benfica

Real Madrid will face off against SL Benfica in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League knockout playoffs at the Santiago Bernabeu in over an hour.

Coming into the game with a one-goal advantage from the controversial first leg in Lisbon, Alvaro Arbeloa’s men will be hoping to finish the job tonight. And, ahead of kickoff the manager has announced the starting lineup that will face the Portuguese giants.

The big update is that Gonzalo Garcia starts in attack for the home team, with Kylian Mbappe being ruled out with an injury.

The young Spaniard partners with Vinicius Jr., who will be under the scanner after the events of the first leg, where he was racially abused by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni.

Meanwhile, the midfield bank of four of Federico Valverde, Arda Guler, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Eduardo Camavinga remains intact, with Arbeloa sticking with the working strategy.

In defence, Trent Alexander-Arnold starts at right-back ahead of Dani Carvajal, who featured against Osasuna last weekend. Antonio Rudiger and Raul Asencio form the centre-back pairing, while Alvaro Carreras slots in at left-back.

Thibaut Courtois continues to guard the Real Madrid goal as usual.