- Kylian Mbappe has been ruled out of Real Madrid’s Champions League play-off second leg against Benfica.
- Mbappe was not included in the Madrid squad for Wednesday night’s game due to a left knee injury that has troubled him in recent weeks.
- The second leg is widely viewed as a grudge match after Madrid’s Vinicius Jr accused Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni of racially abusing him during last week’s first leg in Lisbon.
- Prestianni has denied the accusation and received the support of Benfica manager Jose Mourinho in the aftermath of the alleged incident, but Mbappe claims he heard Prestianni use the racial slur.
- Prestianni has been handed a provisional ban, meaning he will not feature in the second leg, while Mbappe will also miss out, but Vinicius Jr is set to play.
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