José Mourinho hailed his Benfica team after a 4-2 win over Real Madrid kept them in the Champions League, while admitting that confusion over the goal difference needed to progress almost saw them eliminated.
Goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin‘s dramatic 98th-minute header gave Benfica a goal difference of minus two, which was just enough to see them qualify for the knockout phase playoffs in 24th place, on nine points, as Madrid missed out on the top eight.
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Benfica will now face either Madrid again, or Inter Milan — two of Mourinho’s former teams — for a spot in the last 16, with the draw to take place on Friday.
“I think we deserved it, we really deserved it,” Mourinho told Movistar. “Kylian [Mbappé] had two chances, and scored two goals. For Benfica, it’s incredibly prestigious to beat Real Madrid. It’s fantastic.”
Mourinho’s Benfica have been having a difficult season and currently find themselves third in the Portuguese league, while they lost their first four Champions League games before eventually earning a place in the playoffs.
The veteran coach admitted that as Wednesday’s match entered its final stages, he and his team had believed a 3-2 scoreline would be sufficient to advance, before being made aware that they needed another goal.
“When I made the last changes, [Franjo] Ivanovic and [Antonio] Silva, I was told [the scoreline] is enough, so let’s close the door,” Mourinho told Paramount+.
“A few seconds later, then they tell me we need one more goal, but I cannot make more changes. That was the lucky point, to get the free kick, to allow us to go there with the big guy [Trubin].”
Ivanovic and Silva were introduced in the 93rd minute, before Trubin’s last-ditch goal five minutes later.
The Ukrainian keeper admitted similar confusion before his dramatic intervention.
“I didn’t know what we needed,” he said. “Then I saw everyone telling me to go up. I also saw our coach, so I went up, went into the box, and I don’t know … I don’t know what to say.
“Crazy moment. I don’t know what to say. I’m not used to scoring. I’m 24 years old and it’s the first time. Unbelievable.”
The playoff draw will take place in Nyon, Switzerland, at midday local time.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
