• What: UEFA Champions League Playoffs First Leg
  • Who: Benfica vs Real Madrid
  • When: Tuesday, February 17, 2026, 3 p.m. ET
  • Where: Estadio da Luz
  • Watch: Paramount+/TUDN, 3:00 pm ET

The UEFA Champions League playoffs are pitting two of the icons of this competition against each other. And that means one of Benfica or Real Madrid will be out following this two-leg showdown.

In the opening leg, Real Madrid is set as the away favorite. The Spanish legends are the -108 chalk in the soccer betting lines as they visit the Portuguese giants.

Let’s look at the latest soccer betting lines for this match. Remember, the odds are always subject to change.

UEFA Champions League Playoff OddsThe PickBovadaBetUSBetOnline
Benfica vs Real MadridReal Madrid-108-109-109

In this article, OSB will review the match, predict the winner of the matchup, and provide additional notes and information on soccer picks and betting.

Best UEFA Champions League Betting Tips

Keep on top of the latest betting updates on UCL action by checking in with our UEFA Champions League page. If you're new to wagering on soccer, our soccer betting page is chock full of the best wagering advice and handy betting tips.

The UEFA Champions League is a months-long competition, but thanks to your mobile device, you'll never be more than moments away from placing your UCL wagers. Take advantage of the top mobile betting apps to place a bet wherever you might be in the course of your day.

Match Overview: Benfica vs Real Madrid

Real Madrid has won a record 15 UCL titles. They won the first five titles from 1956 through 1960. Real Madrid's most recent win came in 2024.

Benfica is a two-time winner of the UCL. The Portuguese club won consecutive titles in 1961 and 1962. Benfica has played in five finals since and lost every one of them.

Real Madrid will play host to the second leg of this playoff on Wednesday, February 25.

Team Spotlight: Benfica

In the final game of UCL league phase play, Benfica won 4-2 at home over Real Madrid. Goalkeeper Anatoli Trubin headed in the fourth goal in injury time to secure playoff qualification for the Portuguese side on goal differential. Going 3-5 through the group stage, Benfica finished 24th, grabbing the final playoff spot.

Benfica manager Jose Mourinho was rushed to the hospital on the weekend with an ear infection. He was treated, then checked out, and was back with the club before Saturday's league win over Santa Clara.

Team Spotlight:  Real Madrid

Real Madrid's French international striker Kylian Mbappe (knee injury) didn't play on the weekend in a 4-1 win over Real Sociedad. England international right back Trent Alexander-Arnold was back in the side for the first time in the New Year.

For this match, the Spanish club will be without midfielder Jude Bellingham (hamstring). The England international is out until April. Brazilian international defender Eder Militalo (knee) is also out. Both defender Raul Ascencio and Brazilian international forward Rodrygo Goes will be missing through suspension. Each received a red card on Real Madrid's previous visit to Lisbon.

Best UCL Prop Bets

If you want to bet this match to finish as a draw, the odds on that outcome are set at +285. Total goals for the match are set at 3.0. The over offers a soccer betting line of -102. It's -118 odds if you opt to play the under.

Real Madrid by one goal is the +300 chalk in a winning margin wager. The odds of Benfica keeping a clean sheet are +430. It's +225 that Real Madrid won't allow a goal. A 1-1 draw is established as the +650 favorite in an exact final score prop play.

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe is the +350 favorite to score the first goal of the match. Benfica's Vangelis Pavlidis is given a +140 betting line to score an anytime goal.

Latest UEFA Champions League Futures

Oddsmakers aren't liking either the record 15-time champs, Real Madrid, or Benfica in the soccer odds to win the UCL. Real Madrid is given a soccer betting line of +1200 to add a 16th title. The soccer betting odds on Benfica winning the UCL are a distant +10000.

Current English Premier League leaders Arsenal are the chalk in this betting market at odds of +350. Germany's Bayern Munich is next in this betting market at odds of +700.

Barcelona, a five-time UCL winner, and Manchester City each are showing odds of +700 to win this season's title.

At +800, the defending champions from PSG are the only other side with odds shorter than +1000.

Best Bet To Win On UEFA Champions League Playoff Opening League

Winning and advancing shockingly on an injury-time goal by their goalkeeper, it's difficult to imagine Benfica getting that fortunate in consecutive European matches against Real Madrid.

Real Madrid To defeat Benfica
Bovada
-108
Bet Now!

Revenge may be a dish best served cold, but redemption is fresh in the mind for Real Madrid. They will make up for the letdown in the last match against Benfica by beating the Portuguese side at home. Take Real Madrid to be the opening-leg winner in the UEFA Champions League picks.