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Four matches in the knockout phase second leg play-offs are set to happen tonight.
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Gianluca Prestianni has traveled to Madrid despite being banned for one match.
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Kylian Mbappe is uncertain to play due to knee pain.
Vinícius Júnior and Real Madrid are gearing up for a tense return match against Benfica in the Champions League playoffs on Wednesday. Madrid holds a 1-0 lead from last week’s first leg, which featured Vinícius alleging that opponent Gianluca Prestianni insulted him after he scored.
Prestianni has denied the accusation and confronted Vinícius with his shirt over his mouth but is not eligible to play at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium due to a provisional ban from UEFA. Nonetheless, he made the trip to Spain, and the atmosphere is expected to be intense as Madrid aims to continue its streak of reaching the round of 16 this century.
Benfica coach Jose Mourinho, who previously managed Madrid, is also suspended after being sent off in the first leg.
Italy Faces Tough Time
Italy is on the verge of a disappointing night, as it could end up without any teams in the round of 16 for the first time since the format was reintroduced in 2003-04.
Serie A champion Napoli failed to qualify for the playoffs, finishing in 30th place among 36 teams, while last year’s finalist, Inter Milan, was eliminated by Bodø/Glimt on Tuesday.
Now, Atalanta and Juventus are left to uphold Italy’s reputation. Juventus is behind 5-2 against Galatasaray, and Atalanta trails 2-0 against Borussia Dortmund after their first legs.
PSG Leads in All-French Clash
Defending champion Paris Saint-Germain holds a 3-2 lead over Monaco in their all-French matchup, having come back from a 2-0 deficit within 20 minutes of the first leg.
Bodø/Glimt, Atletico Madrid, Newcastle, and Bayer Leverkusen all advanced on Tuesday.
The draw for the round of 16 will take place on Friday.