Benfica manager Jose Mourinho did not hold back in praising his side after a sensational 4-2 Champions League victory over Real Madrid on Wednesday.
The former Madrid boss described the win as the team’s finest performance of the season and a lesson in the ruthlessness required at the highest level.
Speaking after the frenetic encounter, Mourinho stressed that against elite opposition, even the smallest errors can prove decisive.
“I saw a great Benfica. I understand you’re analysing Real Madrid, which is what interests you, but we played an incredible match,” Mourinho said.
“I’ve told you these players will kill you, and Mbappe killed us. But we played our game very well. We played an extraordinary match. We played our best match of the competition. Against Real Madrid, if you’re not perfect, you have no chance of winning.”
Real Madrid had appeared to be on course for the result they needed, with Kylian Mbappe scoring to put the 15-time European champions ahead. Yet Benfica’s response was relentless.
The Portuguese side turned the game on its head with a clinical display of attacking cohesion, taking the lead and forcing Madrid into uncharacteristic errors that ultimately cost them a direct route into the knockout stages.
Even with Benfica leading 3-2 late on, survival seemed unlikely. However, in an extraordinary twist, goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin rose to meet a late set-piece in the 98th minute, heading in a dramatic fourth goal that sealed Benfica’s advancement into the Champions League playoffs on goal difference.
The strike epitomised Mourinho’s mantra that perfection is essential at this level: moments of focus and courage can redefine an entire campaign.
The result leaves Real Madrid on the back foot, missing out on automatic qualification, while Benfica’s victory underscored their tactical discipline, resilience, and Mourinho’s enduring influence.
