Who: Benfica vs Real Madrid
What: UEFA Champions League
Where: Estadio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal
When: Wednesday, January 27 at 8pm (20:00 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the buildup on Al Jazeera Sport from 17:00 GMT in advance of our text commentary stream.
The league phase of this season’s UEFA Champions League (UCL) reaches its finale on Wednesday with some of Europe’s biggest names facing crunch ties – no bigger perhaps than Jose Mourinho leading Benfica against his former club Real Madrid.
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Both sides are in need of a win if they are achieve their contrasting aims at this stage, with Benfica facing elimination from competing on the continent this season.
Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at a tie that has so much riding on it, including some small personal pride for one of Real’s most successful coaches.
What are Real Madrid’s Champions League chances?
Real have endured a turbulent season, with their coach Xabi Alonso sacked after only seven months in charge, but a serious challenge can still be mounted for a Spanish and European double.
Los Blancos find themselves hot on the heels of Barcelona in La Liga, having briefly claimed top spot when they beat Villarreal on Saturday, only for their rivals to reclaim the summit on Sunday.
In the Champions League, a draw may be enough to secure their automatic passage to the last 16, but only a win will guarantee it.
What are Benfica’s Champions League chances?
A win is an absolute must for Benfica, but it may not be enough to secure a place in the playoffs given the Portuguese giant’s rough run this season.
The Lisbon-based club currently sit in 29th position, out of the 36 competing teams, two points from claiming one of the 16 playoff spots.
A minus four goal difference will also hamper Benfica as they seek to climb above five teams to avoid elimination from the competition.
The domestic league season has seen them go unbeaten to date, but they have drawn six more games than leaders Porto, who are 10 points clear and similarly unbeaten.
How does Champions League qualification work from the league phase?
The top eight teams automatically qualify for the round of 16; the following 16 teams enter two-legged playoffs.
The bottom 12 teams, of which Benfica are currently one, drop out of all continental competition this season.
Real are currently third with 15 points, but the 10 teams immediately below them all have the chance to reach 16 points – which could see Los Blancos slide dramatically if they lose, while a draw will leave them sweating on other results.
When was Jose Mourinho manager of Real Madrid?
The former Chelsea, Inter Milan and Manchester United manager was in charge at Real for three seasons following his appointment in May 2010.
It followed huge success at Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan, where he won the Champions League with the former and the latter, while also securing a first top-flight title in 40 years for Chelsea.
Mourinho only took over at Benfica in September, replacing Bruno Lage as manager after a slow start to the season.
What was Jose Mourinho’s record at Real Madrid and what did he win?
Mourinho finished second to Barcelona in his first season in charge, despite Cristiano Ronaldo leading the La Liga scoring charts with 40 goals that season.
Lionel Messi smashed in 50 goals the following season, but it was Real’s Portuguese pair that emerged smiling with Real’s first league title in three years – Barca claimed the crown in each of those seasons.
Mourinho’s stint at Bernabeu came to an end the following season when Barcelona won the title by 15 points – it remains the biggest winning margin in the competition’s history.
How many times have Real Madrid and Benfica won the Champions League?
Real are the record winners of Europe’s premier club competition with 15 titles to their name. The last coming in 2024.
Benfica have lifted the trophy on two occasions, and both of those came in consecutive years.
In what was regarded as Benfica’s golden era, Portuguese legend Eusebio helped the team to wins against Barcelona in 1961, and Real Madrid in 1962.
A hat-trick from Hungary’s finest export, Ferenc Puskas, could not save Real, with Benfica running out 5-3 winners – which included a double from Eusebio.
When did Real Madrid last face Benfica in the Champions League?
The two European giants have not met since March 17, 1965, when Real won 2-1 in Madrid.
It was not enough to overturn their knockout tie after Benfica claimed the first leg 5-1 in Lisbon three weeks earlier.
Head-to-head
This is staggeringly only the fourth meeting between two of the biggest clubs from Spain and Portugal.
Benfica edge the matches 2-1, with the first meeting between the clubs coming in the final in May 1962.
Benfica team news
Alexander Bah, Samuel Soares, Dodi Lukebakio and Henrique Araujo all remain absent through injury. Richard Rios is close to a return, but this match may come too soon.
Sidny Lopes Cabral and Rafa Silva, who both arrived in the January transfer window, are ineligible to feature.
Benfica predicted starting lineup (4-2-3-1)
Trubin; Dedic, Araujo, Otamendi, Dahl; Aursnes, Barrenechea; Prestianni, Barreiro, Sudakov; Pavlidis
Real Madrid team news
Real Madrid welcome back Aurelien Tchouameni, who sat out Saturday’s win against Villarreal due to suspension.
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s thigh, Antonio Rudiger’s knee, and Eder Militao and Ferland Mendy’s hamstrings mean the Spaniards are light across the backline.
Real Madrid predicted starting lineup (4-3-3)
Courtois; Valverde, Asencio, Huijsen, Carreras; Tchouameni, Bellingham, Guler; Mastantuono, Mbappe, Vinicius
