In Mbappé’s eyes, Real deserved to win; in Benfica’s eyes, Trabin’s spot was at the Louvre

The reactions of both teams after the final whistle in Lisbon resembled a common algebraic solution: the words were similar, but the meaning was very different. Both sides essentially said, “It was deserved.”

For Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappé, who suffered a 4-2 defeat against Benfica, his response was, “Tonight, this result was deserved.” For Benfica coach José Mourinho, the victory was historic. He said, “It was truly deserved… Beating Real Madrid is an incredible honor for Benfica.”

Mourinho knew exactly what was at stake: to advance to the Round of 16, Benfica needed a win in the playoff match. Real would have progressed with either a win or a draw. The game turned into a six-goal thriller, featuring a red card for Real’s Raúl Asensio and Rodrygo, Benfica taking a 3-1 lead, and Mbappé scoring twice. The match also highlighted Benfica goalkeeper Trabin, whose late goal became the talk of the town. After all, goalkeepers rarely score in football!

Eight minutes into added time, Benfica led 3-2. In the final moment, Mourinho signaled Trabin to move into Real’s box, and from a free kick, Trabin’s header hit the net, sending Da Luz Stadium into euphoria.

For Mourinho, the victory was historic—Benfica had last beaten Real in the European Cup final of 1962 with Eusébio. After a 1965 quarterfinal loss, this win overturned the historical balance. Real, previously third in the table, would have qualified for the top eight with a draw but now faces a playoff. Benfica, on the other hand, celebrated the triumph.

Trabin’s goal, captured in a widely shared photo showing him on his teammates’ shoulders, earned the caption: “Hang this in the Louvre.” Goalkeepers scoring in the Champions League is rare—Trabin became only the fifth goalkeeper to score, following Hans-Jörg Butt, Sinan Bolat, Vincent Enyeama, and Ivan Provedel. Considering headers, he is the third.

Mourinho, a former Real coach, knew that even leading 3-2 against Real in the dying moments didn’t guarantee safety. That understanding influenced his late-match strategy, sending Trabin forward for the decisive free kick.

After the match, Mourinho said, “I knew leading 3-2 didn’t mean everything was settled. We were lucky to get that set piece. Our goalkeeper Trabin, two meters tall, went into the box and scored. Incredible—the stadium felt like it was going to collapse!”

For Real, the defeat was crushing. Mbappé lamented, “Tonight, this result was deserved. Benfica played better than us. Now we have two playoff matches, which is tough because we wanted to focus on our February games.” Real coach Arbeléa added, “Of course, we are not happy. We knew what to do, but we couldn’t play accordingly… We were far from our best.”

Friday’s draw will determine whether Benfica faces Real or Inter Milan in the playoffs. Mourinho has fond memories of winning the Champions League with Inter in 2010 and remains cautiously optimistic about the upcoming challenge.