Benfica beat Real 4-2 to put both teams through to the Champions League playoffs, as Madrid crashed out in the top eight.
Published on January 28, 2026
Goalkeeper Anatoly Trubin scored on a header in the 98th minute. Benfica beat Real Madrid 4-2 to keep themselves in the Champions League and deny their rivals an automatic place in the last 16.
In Wednesday’s extraordinary final, Trubin stepped up for a free kick to seal the goal needed to advance to the play-off rounds on goal difference with the Portuguese side leading 3-2 with seconds of stoppage time remaining.
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So it was celebrated at the Stadium of Light in Lisbon by Benfica players, fans and their charismatic coach Jose Mourinho – former Real Madrid manager.
The Spaniards were hoping to finish in the top eight and go straight into the last 16, but their 15 points from eight games were not enough and they finished with nine men as Raul Asensio and Rodrigo were sent off.
Andreas Schjelderup scored twice for Benfica and Vangelis Pavlidis scored from the penalty spot, while Kylian Mbappe scored twice for Real.
Benfica advance at the expense of Marseille, losing 3-0 at Club Brugge. Giant screens in stadiums in Belgium congratulated both teams on their progress to the next stage, but it proved premature as Trubin turned the tables.
Both Benfica and Real needed goals for different reasons going into the final minutes and it’s a testament to the nature of the competition that a single goal can have such a dramatic effect on the table.
Benfica were denied two strong early penalty shots and Real took the lead on 30 minutes when Asensio’s cross was headed in by Mbappe at the back post.
The home side equalized six minutes later when Asensio’s slip in wet conditions saw Pavlidis provide the perfect cross for Schjelderup to slot into the net.
Benfica were awarded a penalty in first-half added time when Aurelien Choumeni brought down Nicolas Otamendi and Pavlidis buried his spot-kick.
Schjelderup made it 3-1 with his second goal of the game from a perfect pass from Pavlidis, before Mbappe scored his second – his 36th of the season in all competitions.
Benfica were still outside the top 24 when they were awarded a free kick with virtually the final play, and Frederik Orsnes’ delivery was headed home by Trubin to complete a high-scoring night in Lisbon.