Benfica vs Atlético de Madrid facts

Benfica and Atlético de Madrid meet on UEFA Champions League Matchday 2 with each looking to build on opening victories.

Both were 2-1 winners on Matchday 1, Benfica triumphing at Serbian champions Crvena Zvezda and a 90th-minute José María Giménez goal giving Atleti victory at home to Leipzig.

Previous meetings

2015/16 Champions League group stage
Atlético 1-2 Benfica
Benfica 1-2 Atlético
Benfica recovered from Ángel Correa's 23rd-minute opener to win in Madrid on Matchday 2 thanks to goals from Nicolás Gaitán (36) and Gonçalo Guedes (51).

Atleti turned the tables in Lisbon on Matchday 6, progressing in first place ahead of their hosts with Saúl Ñíguez (33) and Vietto (55) scoring before a Kostas Mitroglou reply (75).

Form guide

Benfica

Record vs Spanish clubs: W7 D9 L13 F32 A42
Home record vs Spanish clubs: W3 D5 L5

Benfica faced Liga opposition in last season's group stage, losing 0-1 at home to Real Sociedad and 1-3 away to make it three defeats in their last five games against Spanish clubs (W1 D1).

A 3-0 win at home to Barcelona on Matchday 2 of the 2021/22 Champions League is one of only two victories in Benfica's last 21 games against Spanish sides, home and away (D8 L11).

That is also the Eagles' only win in their last ten home games against Liga visitors (D4 L5) and the only one of the last five they have not lost.

This is Benfica's 19th appearance in the Champions League proper, and a 14th in the last 15 seasons.

The Eagles reached quarter-finals in 2021/22 and 2022/23 but were unable to progress to the knockout rounds last season, finishing third in Group D behind Real Sociedad and Inter Milan – though a 3-1 victory at Salzburg on Matchday 6 did extend their European season.

Roger Schmidt's side beat Toulouse (2-1 aggregate) and Rangers (3-2 agg) to reach the 2023/24 UEFA Europa League quarter-finals, where Marseille ended their run (2-2 agg, 2-4 pens).

Benfica are without a win in four home Champions League games, losing three.

European champions in 1961 and 1962, beating Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively, Benfica have lost in five other European Cup finals, most recently in 1990.

The Lisbon club let slip their Portuguese Liga title in 2023/24, finishing second, ten points behind local rivals Sporting CP.

Benfica parted company with Schmidt on 31 August. On 5 September they named Bruno Lage, head coach between January 2019 and July 2020, as his replacement.

Atlético de Madrid

Record vs Portuguese clubs: W11 D5 L8 F32 A28
Away record vs Portuguese clubs: W4 D2 L6

Atleti last faced Portuguese opponents in the 2022/23 group stage, winning 2-1 at home to Porto – a game in which all three goals came in added time, a Champions League first – but losing away by the same scoreline.

Los Colchoneros failed to win in their first five games away to Portuguese clubs (D2 L3) but have been victorious in four of the subsequent seven, losing three.

Atlético lost 1-4 after extra time to Real Madrid in the 2014 Champions League final at the Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica.

Atleti are making their 15th appearance in the Champions League proper and a 12th in succession. They have featured every season since 2013/14.

Runners-up in 2014 and 2016, both against Real Madrid, Simeone's side finished top of their section in 2023/24 and then ousted Inter Milan on penalties in the round of 16 (0-1 a, 2-1 h aet, 3-2 pens) before losing to eventual runners-up Borussia Dortmund in the last eight (2-1 h, 2-4 a).

A 3-1 win at Feyenoord on Matchday 5 last season is Atlético's only victory in nine Champions League away games – a run that includes six defeats.

Atleti have progressed to the knockout rounds in nine of their last 11 Champions League campaigns.

The Colchoneros were fourth in La Liga in 2023/24. It was their lowest league finish since 2011/12, when they were fifth.

Links and trivia

Jan Oblak was a Benfica player between 2010 and 2014, playing in the first team in only 2013/14 – when he helped the Eagles win the league, the Portuguese Cup and the Portuguese League Cup and reach the Europa League final.

Oblak had loan spells at Beira-Mar (2010), Olhanense (2010/11), União Leiria (2011/12) and Rio Ave (2012/13).

Axel Witsel scored five goals in 52 appearances for Benfica between July 2011 and September 2012, winning the Portuguese League Cup.

Have also played in Portugal:
Reinildo (Benfica 2015/16; Fafe 2017 loan; Covilhã 2017/18 loan; Belenenses SAD 2018/19)
Samuel Lino (Gil Vicente 2019–22)

Have played in Spain:
Nicolás Otamendi (Valencia 2014/15)
Álvaro Carreras (Granada 2023/24 loan)
Florentino (Getafe 2021/22 loan)
Ángel Di María (Real Madrid 2010–14)

Di María was Player of the Match in Real Madrid's victory against Atlético in the 2014 Champions League final in Lisbon – his penultimate appearance for the club. His final outing came as a late substitute in a 1-1 draw against Atleti in the Spanish Super Cup first leg on 19 August 2014.

Di María's record against Atlético with Real Madrid was W10 D2 L2, one of those defeats a 1-2 extra-time loss in the 2013 Copa del Rey final.

Have played together:
Renato Sanches & Reinildo (Benfica 2015/16, LOSC Lille 2019–22)
Nicolás Otamendi & Rodrigo De Paul (Valencia 2014/15)
Benjamin Rollheiser & Julián Álvarez (River Plate 2017–21)

International team-mates:
Nicolás Otamendi, Ángel Di María, Juan Musso, Nahuel Molina, Rodrigo De Paul, Ángel Correa & Julián Álvarez (Argentina)
Álvaro Carreras & Pablo Barrios (Spain Under-19, U21)

Fredrik Aursnes played alongside Alexander Sorloth in Norway's Under-21 and senior national sides.

Latest news

Benfica

Bruno Lage has won his first four games since returning to Benfica on 6 September, including Saturday's 5-1 home win against Gil Vicente – the Eagles' biggest win of the season.

Kerem Aktürkoglu has three goals and two assists in those four games, one more goal than Orkun Kökçü. The pair are the team's top scorers this season with three goals in all competitions.

Renato Sanches suffered a thigh muscle injury during training on 11 September and has not played since.

Alexander Bah was replaced against Crvena Zvezda with a cut leg and missed the 3-0 win at Boavista on 23 September. He was an unused substitute on Saturday.

The 2-1 Matchday 1 win at Crvena Zvezda was the first time Benfica had started the Champions League with an away victory, at the seventh attempt.

Atlético

Substitute Ángel Correa's 95th-minute equaliser salvaged a 1-1 derby draw at home to Real Madrid on Sunday, with Marcos Llorente sent off in the final moments.

On 22 September, Atlético drew 1-1 at Rayo Vallecano – the first goal they had conceded in five league matches.

Atleti were 1-0 winners at Celta Vigo on 26 September.

Diego Simeone's side have scored 12 goals and conceded four in La Liga this season. Madrid's goal on Sunday was the first they have let in at home.

An unused substitute on Sunday, Thomas Lemar has not played for Atlético since 16 September 2023, when he suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon.

Pablo Barrios suffered a muscle injury with Spain's Under-21 squad during the last international break and has not played since.

César Azpilicueta went off against Rayo with a calf injury and has missed the last two games.