Jan 31, 2026, 05:54 PM
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Jose Mourinho has said that his Benfica side will line up against the "king" of the Champions League having been handed a rematch against Real Madrid in the knockout playoff round.
The Portuguese side beat the 15-time European champions on Wednesday, goalkeeper Antoliy Trubin scoring an astonishing 98th-minute header to send Benfica through.
Despite leading 3-2 prior to the late effort, Mourinho's side would have been knocked out on goal difference if it were not for Trubin's intervention.
Jose Mourinho has already beaten Real Madrid this season with Benfica. Photo by Patricia De Melo Moreira / AFP via Getty Images.
Defeat knocked Real from third to ninth in the league phase table, forcing them into the extra knockout round having missed out on the top-eight.
"We only had two possibilities, Real or Inter," Mourinho said on Benfica's draw.
"We got the king. The other day, when a Real player offered me his shirt after the game, I jokingly showed my teammates the symbol they wore on their arm. There are 15 [titles]...
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"They are the king. With all that means. It's not just history.
"We are going to play against, surely, the biggest contender to win the competition.
"But we have three games before that, Tondela, Santa Clara and Alverca, and that's what we have to focus on."
Benfica are currently third in the Liga Portugal, 10 points behind leaders Porto. They host Real Madrid in the first leg on Feb. 17 before travelling for the return leg eight days later.