Benfica manager Jose Mourinho has admitted that only extreme tactical risks allowed his side to secure a legendary 4-2 victory over Real Madrid in Wednesday’s Champions League finale. In one of the most remarkable finishes in the competition’s history, goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin ventured forward to head home a 98th-minute goal, a strike that single-handedly catapulted the Portuguese club into the playoff round. The dramatic result simultaneously crushed Marseille’s hopes of advancement and denied Real Madrid an automatic spot in the Round of 16, forcing the Spanish giants into the knockout playoffs instead.
The match carried immense weight for both sides as the league phase reached its climax. Real Madrid entered the contest needing only a draw to secure a top-eight finish, while Benfica occupied 25th place and faced certain elimination without a victory and a significant goal-difference swing. Mourinho’s squad delivered a relentless performance at the Estadio da Luz, overcoming two goals from Kylian Mbappe to maintain their pressure until the final seconds. Trubin’s historic header—the first time a goalkeeper has ever scored against Real Madrid in European competition—ensured Benfica finished 24th, just ahead of Marseille on goal difference.
Mourinho emphasized that the economic and prestigious rewards of the victory justified his “all or nothing” approach in the closing moments. By defeating his former club, the Portuguese tactician not only preserved Benfica’s European campaign but also sent a clear message regarding the team’s resilience. The win guarantees Benfica a two-legged playoff in February, keeping their dreams of a deep run alive while forcing Real Madrid to navigate an extra round of fixtures.
Reflecting on the tactical intensity of the final minutes, Jose Mourinho told UEFA: “Winning or losing games in the final moment, with the final play, has happened various times, but to win you need to take risks. You think it arrives but then it doesn’t, so then you have to change a few things. In the end one ball [for them] could make it 3-3. And with that we would still be out. To win against Real Madrid carries importance and is significant. In that moment we had to give it everything.
We knew he [Trubin] could do it. In the game at the Dragao [two weeks ago], Trubin was also there in the final action and headed it but a Porto player blocked it. You have to put the ball in there. It was a spectacular goal that independent of our future in the competition, puts us into the next round, and was a moment of history against Real Madrid. It is important for a few reasons, economically important for Benfica, and even more so from a prestige point of view.”
About the Author
