Why isn’t Rodrygo playing for Real Madrid vs Benfica today? Injury update

Real Madrid and Benfica face off for a place in Last 16 later this evening. The tie remains wide open - Vinicius’ spectacular winner from last week’s first leg in Lisbon is all that separates the two teams.

With a one-goal advantage and with the stats stacked in their favor (no Portuguese team has ever won an official game at the Bernabéu), most people who put their money on Madrid advancing to the next round. However, a number of Álvaro Arbeloa’s first-choice stars will be watching from the sidelines.

Kylian Mbappé was the latest to fall from the squad list - as the team’s top scorer, it’s a significant loss for the coach. Dean Huijsen, Militão, Jude Bellingham and Dani Ceballos also miss out - as does Rodrygo.

The Brazilian winger limped out of the 2-1 win home win against Rayo on February 1 after just 13 minutes. The diagnosis - tendonitis affecting his right hamstring. Even if he had been fit, Rodrygo would have missed the first leg through suspension.

How long will Rodrygo be out for?

In line with club policy, Madrid don’t generally specific recovery times in their medical reports but similar injuries usually keep players sidelined for around 10 days. Rodrygo has returned to training and was seen being put through his paces in Valdebebas yesterday. It’s possible that with the casualty room filling up, Arbeloa isn’t taking any chances.

There is a chance that Rodrygo might return to the squad for the next game, at home to Getafe in LaLiga on Monday night.

Rodrygo has missed four games in Madrid’s Champions League campaign . He was on the bench for the victories against Juventus and Olympiacos, was left out of the list for the penultimate group match against Monaco and missed the first leg against Benfica due to injury and suspension. He has one goal (against Man City) and a couple of assists.

Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.