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The Citizen
|February 17, 2026
REAL MADRID: MBAPPE-VINICIUS PARTNERSHIP POSES MANY QUESTIONS
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TOO MANY COOKS? Real Madrid stars Kylian Mbappe (right) and Vinicius Junior need to find a way to work together to bring some balance to the team.
(Picture: Getty Images)
French superstar Kylian Mbappe is poised to return for Real Madrid’s Champions League playoff clash at Benfica tonight after resting at the weekend.
The availability of the team’s top scorer and best player this season is excellent news for coach Alvaro Arbeloa, but it raises the question of whether Los Blancos lose too much balance when both he and Brazilian winger Vinicius Junior line up in attack together.
That problem is further exacerbated when Jude Bellingham is available too, but the England international is injured and will not feature against Jose Mourinho’s side in Lisbon.
This story is from the February 17, 2026 edition of The Citizen.
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