Mbappé ruled out of Real Madrid’s Champions League clash with Benfica

• Kylian Mbappé is absent from Real Madrid’s squad for the Champions League second leg against Benfica due to a persistent knee problem
• The France forward has struggled with discomfort for months and will miss another key fixture as medical staff manage the issue
• Madrid must protect a narrow first-leg lead without their leading scorer

Kylian Mbappé has been left out of Real Madrid’s squad for their Champions League playoff second leg against Benfica as he continues to battle discomfort in his left knee.

The forward has been managing the problem for several months and felt renewed discomfort during training on Tuesday. Medical staff have monitored the situation closely but Madrid confirmed on Wednesday morning that Mbappé would not be available for the decisive tie at the Santiago Bernabéu.

Madrid travel into the match with a slender advantage after securing a 1-0 win in Lisbon on February 17, a game in which Mbappé completed the full ninety minutes. His absence now presents a significant challenge as Carlo Ancelotti’s side aim to finish the job and reach the next round.

The 26 year-old missed the LaLiga clash with Real Sociedad on February 14 and has endured a stop start spell since before Christmas. He was sidelined for the Champions League meeting with Manchester City in December and played only a handful of minutes in the Spanish Supercopa in January. His movement also appeared restricted during Saturday’s 2-1 league defeat at Osasuna.

Despite those concerns, Mbappé has produced an outstanding campaign. He has scored 23 goals in LaLiga and 13 in the Champions League, underlining his importance to Madrid’s attacking structure.

Coach Álvaro Arbeloa had sounded optimistic on Tuesday, praising the striker’s commitment and determination to contribute, but the final decision was taken to rest him with a demanding run of fixtures ahead. Madrid host Getafe on March 2 before travelling to Celta Vigo on March 7.

Without their leading scorer, Madrid must rely on the depth and experience of their squad to protect their advantage and progress, fully aware that even small margins carry heavy consequence at this stage of the competition.