Benfica vs. Real Madrid: Head-to-head record and past meetings ahead of Champions League contest

Benfica and Real Madrid meet at Estadio da Luz on Wednesday evening for a crucial Champions League encounter, with both sides contesting the final fixture of the league phase.

The 29th-placed hosts remain in contention for a place in the knockout playoffs, sitting two points adrift of the final qualification spot, meaning victory is essential.

Los Blancos, meanwhile, occupy third position in the league-phase standings and know that a win would be enough to secure a top-eight finish.

The managerial subplot adds further intrigue as Jose Mourinho leads Benfica against former club Madrid, who are now guided by Alvaro Arbeloa, one of the Portuguese coach’s players during his spell in the Spanish capital.

Here, Sports Mole takes a closer look at the head-to-head record and previous meetings between the two sides.

Head-to-head record

Previous meetings: 3

Benfica wins: 2

Draws: 0

Real Madrid wins: 1

Benfica and Real Madrid have faced each other three times in UEFA competition, though this marks their first meeting in the 21st century, with the most recent encounter dating back more than six decades.

The Portuguese side hold the advantage in the fixture, having won two of the three meetings, including a dramatic 5-3 comeback victory in the 1962 European Cup final.

Madrid had surged into a two-goal lead through Ferenc Puskas, who later completed his hat-trick to restore Los Blancos’s advantage after Benfica initially drew level.

The Lisbon club responded emphatically, however, as Mario Coluna equalised shortly after the restart before an Eusebio brace sealed victory and delivered Benfica their second European Cup.

The remaining meetings came in the quarter-finals of the 1964-65 campaign, where Benfica progressed with a 6-3 aggregate success.

In the first leg, the Eagles swept Madrid aside with a 5-1 win at Da Luz, as Eusebio struck twice and Coluna also found the net, while Amancio scored a consolation for the visitors.

The return fixture saw Madrid take an early lead through Puskas, though Eusebio restored parity before the Hungarian forward netted the winner.

Eusebio remains the leading scorer in this fixture with five goals, while Puskas follows closely behind with four.