The first leg of the UEFA Champions League knockout playoff presented a fascinating tactical puzzle: José Mourinho’s pragmatism against Álvaro Arbeloa’s evolving 4-4-2 diamond. Just three weeks after a chaotic 4-2 defeat in the league phase, Real Madrid returned to Lisbon with a significantly more balanced approach. Arbeloa opted for a “heavy” midfield, utilizing Aurélien Tchouaméni, Federico Valverde, and Eduardo Camavinga to prioritize central security. This structure effectively neutralized Benfica’s primary weapon—the direct transition. In the first half, Benfica were limited to a mere 0.38 xG, as Madrid’s counter-press prevented Andreas Schjelderup from finding the pockets of space he exploited in January. Despite controlling 58% of the ball, Madrid were patient, refusing to commit the full-backs, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Álvaro Carreras, simultaneously, thereby maintaining a solid rest-defense of three at all times.
The Vinícius Catalyst and the Tactical Breakthrough
The deadlock was broken in the 50th minute through a moment of individual brilliance that highlighted the subtle tactical shift in Kylian Mbappé’s role. Often criticized for static positioning, Mbappé dropped deep into the left half-space, drawing Nicolás Otamendi out of the defensive line. This movement created a 1v1 isolation for Vinícius Júnior against Amar Dedić. Vinícius, showing his evolution into a world-class finisher, cut inside and unleashed a 108 km/h strike into the top right corner. The goal forced Mourinho to abandon his low block, but Benfica struggled to create clear-cut opportunities against a Real Madrid side that recorded 14 interceptions in the defensive third. Madrid’s efficiency in the middle third was bolstered by Arda Güler, who acted as a high-functioning shuttle, linking play and maintaining a 94% passing accuracy under intense pressure.
Chaos, Discipline, and the Mourinho Red Card
The match descended into tactical and disciplinary anarchy following the goal. A ten-minute hiatus occurred due to incidents in the crowd directed at Vinícius Júnior, a disruption that threatened to derail Madrid’s momentum. However, the visitors demonstrated elite psychological resilience. While Benfica attempted to ramp up the physical intensity, they lacked the creative variation to bypass Antonio Rüdiger, who won 100% of his aerial duels. The frustration culminated on the touchline; José Mourinho was sent off in the 86th minute after a heated exchange with the officials following a foul by Vinícius on Richard Ríos. With their manager in the stands, Benfica’s structural integrity wavered, and they were nearly punished on the break as Anatoliy Trubin was forced into two reflex saves to deny Mbappé and substitute Endrick.
Final Metrics and Strategic Outlook
Statistically, the 1-0 scoreline masks a dominant defensive performance by Real Madrid. They limited Benfica to just 2 shots on target despite the hosts playing in front of a raucous 65,000-strong crowd. Madrid finished with an xG of 1.82, suggesting that but for Trubin’s heroics, the tie could have been put to bed in Lisbon. For Benfica, the loss of Mourinho for the second leg and the inability of Vangelis Pavlidis to register a single shot inside the box are major concerns. They headed into the match hoping to repeat their four-goal feat from January, but instead found themselves suffocated by a Madrid side that has finally learned how to suffer in Europe. The return leg at the Santiago Bernabéu will require Benfica to take immense risks, which may play directly into the hands of a Madrid frontline that thrives on the 3.6 direct attacks per game they currently average.