Benfica fans and police clash ahead of match in Madrid | OneFootball

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·25 February 2026

Benfica fans and police clash ahead of match in Madrid

Article image:Benfica fans and police clash ahead of match in Madrid

The atmosphere is tense around the Santiago Bernabéu before the second leg of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 playoff between Real Madrid and Benfica.

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According to the newspaper Record, fans of the Portuguese team clashed with the Spanish National Police towards the end of the journey to the stadium.

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  • The confusion began when a member of a Benfica supporters' group left the security cordon.
  • The fan refused to uncover his face, which led to a strong police response.
  • The action caused moments of panic and distress. Some Portuguese fans were injured and needed medical attention on site.
  • The newspaper Record reported that João Diogo Manteigas, a former candidate for the presidency of the Portuguese club, was present in the procession during the turmoil.

'High-risk' atmosphere

The match had already been classified by Spanish authorities as a "high-risk" security event.

In addition to the decisive nature of the game, as only one team will advance in the competition, the atmosphere was inflamed by the global repercussion of the alleged racist insults involving Gianluca Prestianni and Vinícius Júnior in the first leg.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

📸 Clive Brunskill - 2026 Getty Images

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