Benfica defeated Real Madrid 4-2 at home to clinch a dramatic spot in the UEFA Champions League knockout play-offs on the final matchday of the league phase. In a post-match interview, Benfica head coach Jose Mourinho stated that he did not consider it a lucky victory.
“I think Kylian Mbappé kept the game balanced; he had two chances and scored two goals. I told my players that we may fear a certain player, but not a team. That’s why Real Madrid’s players are so expensive—because they are extraordinary. But my team played better than Real Madrid in this game and fully deserved this win. I do not think it was a lucky victory. Some may say ‘it was a last-gasp goal, a goalkeeper’s goal’, but I do not believe we won this game by luck.”
“When we led 3-2, I thought the score was enough, and I made substitutions to hold onto the lead. But during the substitutions, someone told me we needed one more goal. I had no idea what to do then, but we soon got a well-placed free kick. So I told Anatoliy Trubin to push forward. If we had conceded a goal because of this and it ended 3-3, so be it. But we scored, and I think these lads deserve this victory.”
Mourinho also said he felt "unprecedented joy" for this win: "It means... it means a lot. I have been all over the world, played in so many Champions League matches in many countries, and I am proud of all the clubs I have coached. But Benfica is Benfica. Benfica is my homeland; my home is just 20 minutes away from here. These are my fellow countrymen, this is my club, and leading Benfica to such results means so much more."
