Mourinho set for another reunion as Benfica draw Real Madrid in Champions League playoffs after Trubin’s extraordinary late goal
José Mourinho will face Real Madrid once again after Benfica were paired with the LaLiga giants in the Champions League playoffs, a matchup created by one of the most dramatic finishes of the league phase.
Benfica sealed their place in the knockout round in astonishing fashion on the final matchday, when goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored with the last action of the game to deny Los Blancos automatic qualification.
The goal sent the Portuguese side into the 16-team play-offs and dropped Real Madrid out of the top eight, reshaping the draw and setting up a reunion rich in history and narrative.
After the draw, Mourinho posted a picture of himself in his office, working on his team’s upcoming league game against Tondela.
“Life goes on,” the caption read on Instagram.
The decisive moment that shaped the tie came in a chaotic final league-phase match. Real Madrid, reduced to nine men, were still leading 3-2 and appeared to have done enough.
Benfica needed one more goal to survive. In the eighth minute of stoppage time, Trubin went forward for a final delivery and headed home, producing a moment that instantly entered Champions League folklore.
A dramatic finish that reshaped the draw
That single header flipped the competition landscape. Benfica progressed, Real Madrid fell into the play-offs, and the two clubs were drawn together for a February showdown. It was a swing that few could have predicted minutes earlier.
Mourinho was almost lost for words when asked about Trubin’s goal afterwards, admitting it was unlike anything he had previously experienced.
“I used to say, for me, everything is déjà vu, but this one is the first time,” he laughed.
“We knew that he could do it, we knew that he could do it. We were losing in Porto a couple of weeks ago and in the last minute he went there and almost scored. So we know the big guy is capable of this.
“The quality of the service is, of course, the most important thing, you have to put the ball there, but it’s an amazing goal for the guy.”
Valdano warns Real Madrid
Meanwhile, former Real Madrid star Jorge Valdano summed up the mood around the team’s Champions League tie with Benfica, stressing that Mourinho could deal Los Blancos another major blow.
“An uncertain tie for Madrid,” he said after the draw. “Three days ago we would have made a different assessment, but Benfica knew how to play Madrid. Mourinho knows what hurts Madrid. Madrid continues to rely on the magic of the Bernabéu.”