Huijsen, Rudiger And Alexander-Arnold To Start | 4-4-2 Real Madrid Predicted Lineup Vs Benfica | OneFootball

Real Madrid will entertain Benfica at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium this Wednesday night as they look to secure a good result in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League playoff clash. Los Blancos suffered a poor 2-1 loss at the hands of Osasuna recently, so they would be eager to bounce back by putting in a much-improved display in midweek.

Alvaro Arbeloa will set his side up in a 4-4-2 formation and is expected to make some tweaks to his first XI for this game. Dean Huijsen, Antonio Rudiger and Trent Alexander-Arnold could all play from the start of this clash.

4-4-2 Real Madrid Predicted Lineup To Face Benfica

Defence

Thibaut Courtois will function in between the sticks for Los Blancos after he shipped in a couple of goals in his last outing. Dean Huijsen will operate alongside Antonio Rudiger at the heart of the Real Madrid backline as they look to keep things solid at the back during the 90 minutes.

Trent Alexander-Arnold will try to prove his worth as the right-back, while Alvaro Carreras hopes to put in a solid performance on the other side as the left-back. Arbeloa will instruct both of them to pick and choose their moments to join in on the attack.

David Alaba and Raul Asencio will offer cover for the defensive positions on the bench.

PAMPLONA, SPAIN – FEBRUARY 21: Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid looks dejected after the team’s defeat in the LaLiga EA Sports match between CA Osasuna and Real Madrid CF at Estadio El Sadar on February 21, 2026 in Pamplona, Spain. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

Midfield

Arda Guler and Aurelien Tchouameni will play as the central midfielders for the Madrid giants as they focus on winning the 50-50 battles at the centre of the park.

Eduardo Camavinga will get the nod to impress on the left flank, while Federico Valverde looks to put in another hard-working performance on the right wing. Both of them will look to get in behind the Benfica backline at every chance they can get.

Dani Ceballos and Brahim Diaz will have to settle for a place on the bench as they wait for their chance to shine in the second 45 minutes if required.

Attack

Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe will lead the line for Los Blancos up top. Both of them will have to combine well if Real Madrid are to secure a convincing win in midweek.

Gonzalo Garcia will have to be content with a spot on the bench and might come on to make an impact in the latter stages of the game if needed.