Mbappe to miss Real Madrid playoff against Benfica

Madrid: Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe will miss the second leg of their Champions League playoff against Benfica due to a knee injury, the club confirmed.

The French striker, who has scored 38 goals this season—including 23 in LaLiga and 13 in the Champions League—was sidelined earlier in December and January and also missed Real’s LaLiga clash against Real Sociedad this month. For Wednesday’s game at the Santiago Bernabeu, Real named only Vinicius Jr, Gonzalo Garcia, Brahim Diaz and 18-year-old Franco Mastantuono as forwards.

Real Madrid lead 1-0 on aggregate after Vinicius Jr scored a second-half winner in the first leg. That match was overshadowed by allegations of racism, with Vinicius claiming Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni directed a racist slur at him.

UEFA provisionally suspended Prestianni for one match, but Benfica appealed. On Wednesday, UEFA announced the appeal was dismissed, keeping Prestianni suspended for the next eligible club match.

Benfica will also be without head coach Jose Mourinho, who is serving a suspension after a red card in the first leg. Real’s Jude Bellingham remains sidelined with a hamstring injury, while forward Rodrygo is serving a two-match ban for insulting a match official during a 4-2 loss to Benfica in the group stage.