Real Madrid v Benfica: TV channel, kick-off time and team news for Champions League decider

Real Madrid and Benfica meet at the Estadio Bernabeu on Wednesday night to decide who advances to the Champions League round of 16, with the Spanish giants holding a narrow 1-0 advantage from a first leg overshadowed by off-field controversy.

The return leg, live on TNT Sports 1 from 7.30 pm GMT ahead of an 8 pm GMT kick-off, will be played against the backdrop of a racism investigation after Vinicius Jr alleged abuse by Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni in Lisbon. Prestianni has been provisionally suspended for the match and will be replaced in the starting XI by Dodi Lukebakio.

UEFA halted the first leg for ten minutes while officials dealt with the complaint, and the governing body will hope the focus now returns to football as José Mourinho’s side attempt to overturn the deficit. Mourinho, sent off late in the first leg, must watch from the stands, compounding Benfica’s selection headaches.

Real Madrid are without Rodrygo through suspension and injuries to Jude Bellingham, Éder Militão and Dani Ceballos. Teenage defender Dean Huijsen is rated doubtful. Despite the absences, Carlo Ancelotti can still field a star-studded line-up headlined by Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappé, with the UK bookmakers installing Madrid as odds-on favourites to progress.

Viewers can stream the match via discovery+, with coverage beginning 30 minutes before kick-off.

Real Madrid provisional XI: Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Asencio, Rüdiger, Carreras; Valverde, Camavinga, Tchouaméni, Güler; Vinicius, Mbappé.

Benfica provisional XI: Trubin; Dedić, Araújo, Otamendi, Dahl; Rios, Aursnes; Lukebakio, Rafa, Schjelderup; Pavlidis.