Associated Press
Jan 28, 2026, 10:18 PM
Open Extended Reactions
Real Madrid were stunningly dumped into the qualifying playoffs of the Champions League by their former coach Jose Mourinho -- whose Benfica team advanced on a last-gasp goal by its goalkeeper -- on Wednesday and will be joined there by holders Paris Saint-Germain.
Madrid started play third in the 36-team standings and despite two goals by Kylian Mbappé lost 4-2 at Benfica and fell to ninth -- one place below advancing direct to the round of 16.
Editor's Picks
Astonishingly, Benfica only advanced to the knockout phase in 24th place on goal difference because Ukrainian goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored in the eighth minute of stoppage time with a dramatic header when Madrid was down to nine players. Red cards were shown minutes earlier for Raúl Asencio and Rodrygo
Madrid fell out of the top-eight places when Sporting CP got a stoppage-time goal in a 3-2 win at Athletic Club.
Anatoliy Trubin celebrates with Benfica teammates after his dramatic winner against Real Madrid. Jose Manuel Alvarez Rey/Getty Images
Sporting surprisingly joined Liverpool -- who beat Qarabag 6-0 -- Tottenham, Barcelona, Chelsea and Manchester City in sealing top-eight finishes. Table-topping Arsenal, which completed a perfect eight-win program beating Kairat Almaty 3-2, and second-place Bayern Munich had already advanced to the round of 16 that starts in March.
PSG and Newcastle both started in the top eight but drew 1-1 in Paris which sent both falling in the standings to 11th and 12th.
Madrid, PSG, Newcastle and last year's beaten finalists Inter Milan all will be in the qualifying playoffs draw Friday for teams that placed ninth through 24th.
Still, PSG went through the playoffs round a year ago in taking the longest path possible with two extra games in February toward its first European title.
Norwegian debutants Bodo/Glimt will be a popular addition to the knockout phase, claiming 23rd place by winning 2-1 at Atlético Madrid. That showed how crucial it was to beat Man City last week inside its Arctic Circle home.
Benfica's late drama eliminated Marseille, which lost 3-0 at Club Brugge and dropped below the cutoff into 25th place with nine points.
Also in the playoffs are Qarabag, Brugge, Galatasaray and Olympiakos, plus Juventus and Atalanta from Italy.
Italian champions Napoli were ousted in 30th place after losing 3-2 at home to Chelsea.