Mourinho's Revenge: Former Boss Leads Benfica to Stunning Victory Over Real Madrid

A shocking 4–2 loss to Benfica left Real Madrid in ninth place in the Champions League league phase table, meaning Álvaro Arbeloa's squad must now face the knockout phase playoffs.

The Spanish giants were outplayed from the first whistle, resembling the struggling, chaotic side they had become under Xabi Alonso. Kylian Mbappé maintained his excellent scoring streak with two goals in an attempt to rescue his team, but his efforts proved insufficient.

Benfica dominated throughout the evening, netting three goals against Real Madrid, who ended the match with just nine men on the field, before goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored a dramatic header in the dying moments to secure José Mourinho's team's passage to the knockout phase playoffs.

The record 15-time European champions must now face two additional fixtures in February following what can only be characterized as another disappointing display in a crucial encounter.

Heroes and Villains

Heroes and Villains

Hero

Hero

Finding a standout performer after such a chaotic display from Real Madrid proves challenging, but Kylian Mbappé deserves recognition more than any other player wearing white. The French striker netted twice, establishing a new record for most goals in the Champions League group stage/league phase.

Mbappé has now reached 36 goals in all competitions for Los Blancos, with 13 coming in the Champions League. The 27-year-old is experiencing the peak of his career, yet receives minimal support from his attacking colleagues. As time expired in Lisbon, it became evident the team could only secure a result through his hat-trick—hardly a reliable formula for consistent victories.

Villain

Villain

Aurélien Tchouaméni sat out the weekend match due to suspension and returned to stabilize the team's midfield on Wednesday evening, yet his only contribution was to burden Real Madrid further. The French midfielder struggled with the game's tempo from kickoff, receiving a booking within three minutes of the opening whistle.

His reckless display deteriorated as the first half progressed, and a costly error seemed inevitable when he pulled Nicolás Otamendi's shirt in the penalty area. This mistake handed Benfica a spot-kick just before halftime, and Tchouaméni lasted merely 10 minutes into the second half before being substituted.

Real Madrid Player Ratings vs. Benfica (4-1-2-3)

Real Madrid Player Ratings vs. Benfica (4-1-2-3)

*Ratings Provided by FotMob*

GK: Thibaut Courtois—5.4: Without the Belgian's interventions, Benfica could have scored half a dozen. Produced a first-half save so spectacular that Mourinho could only grin and nod in appreciation, though he was beaten at his near post for the decisive goal.

RB: Federico Valverde—7.1: People often jest that Valverde can operate in any position, and he momentarily found himself as goalkeeper in the first half, making a crucial block with an empty net behind him.

CB: Raúl Asencio—6.1: An evening of contrasts. Delivered the excellent pass that found Mbappé, but then lost his footing during the buildup to Benfica's opener. Made a terrible challenge late in the game and received his marching orders.

CB: Dean Huijsen—7.1: Avoided the glaring mistakes of his defensive partners, though deserves little credit given Benfica's three-goal haul during his time on the field.

LB: Álvaro Carreras—6.8: Never found his rhythm against his former team. Spent most of the evening pursuing 19-year-old Gianluca Prestianni along the left flank.

DM: Aurélien Tchouaméni—6.3: Earning a yellow card within three minutes foreshadowed his evening's struggles. Careless in defense and committed the foul resulting in Benfica's penalty. Withdrawn in the 55th minute.

AM: Arda Güler—8.2: Given freedom to drift and made excellent use of it, generating the most opportunities for Real Madrid. Provided the assist for Mbappé's second goal to offer hope.

AM: Jude Bellingham—6.9: Unable to follow his manager's instructions to reduce his running. Spent excessive time covering defensively and correcting midfield errors, preventing him from orchestrating Real Madrid's offensive play.

RW: Franco Mastantuono—5.5: Appeared overwhelmed. Lost more duels than any other player and contributed virtually nothing in attack. Fortunate his careless turnover after halftime didn't result in a goal.

ST: Kylian Mbappé—8.9: Again the sole attacker to perform. His double wasn't sufficient to rescue his side on this occasion.

LW: Vinicius Junior—7.1: Statistics may suggest otherwise, but his performance would have drawn boos at the Bernabéu. Generating one chance and managing just one shot on target falls short of expectations for a player of his quality.

SUB: Eduardo Camavinga (55' for Tchouaméni)—6.6: Provided essential stability in front of the defense.

SUB: Rodrygo (55' for Mastantuono)—5.8: Showed promise in attack before receiving an unnecessary red card for arguing with the referee.

SUB: David Alaba (78' for Huijsen)—6.3: Effective in aerial situations.

SUB: Jorge Cestero (79' for Carreras)—6.2: Composed with the ball, but insufficient time to influence the match.

SUB: Brahim Díaz (79' for Güler)—6.1: Questionable decision to replace Güler with him.

Subs not used: Andriy Lunin (GK), Fran González (GK), Dani Carvajal, Diego Aguado, Fran García, Dani Ceballos, Gonzalo García.

What the Ratings Tell Us

What the Ratings Tell Us

The Numbers That Explain Real Madrid's Champions League Blunder

The Numbers That Explain Real Madrid's Champions League Blunder