In a night of pure Champions League chaos, Real Madrid fell to a staggering 4-2 defeat against Benfica at the Estadio da Luz.
Despite a double from Kylian Mbappe, the Spanish giants were undone by a lack of discipline and a historic stoppage-time goal from Benfica’s goalkeeper, Anatoliy Trubin.
The result condemns Alvaro Arbeloa’s men to the play-off round, while Jose Mourinho’s Benfica celebrated one of their greatest European nights.
Madrid’s evening ended in total disarray with two red cards and a defensive display that can only be described as shambolic.
While Mbappe’s clinical finishing briefly gave the visitors hope, they were ultimately outplayed by a Benfica side that exploited every gap left by a disjointed Madrid backline.
Real Madrid Player Ratings
Thibaut Courtois (5)
The veteran keeper produced a handful of solid saves to keep the scoreline from getting even uglier, but he will be disappointed with the goals conceded. He was beaten between his legs for the equalizer and guessed incorrectly on the penalty. He was left completely exposed for the third and fourth goals.
Federico Valverde (5)
Deployed on the right, the Uruguayan struggled to balance his attacking instincts with his defensive duties. He was frequently caught too far up the pitch, failing to track back and leaving his central defenders to deal with Benfica’s rapid counterattacks alone.
Raul Asencio (4)
A night to forget for the youngster. Although he technically assisted Mbappe’s first goal, he was comprehensively beaten for pace and skill in the lead-up to Benfica’s first equalizer. His night ended early after receiving a second yellow card in the dying moments of the match.
Dean Huijsen (6)
Perhaps the most stable member of a shaky defense, Huijsen spent most of his evening cleaning up mistakes made by his teammates. It was a surprise to see him substituted, as he seemed the most capable of handling the physical threat posed by Pavlidis.
Alvaro Carreras (5)
The left-back struggled with his positioning throughout the first half. Benfica clearly identified his flank as a weakness, repeatedly overloading his side to create the sweeping moves that led to their goals. He lacked the discipline required for such a high-profile game.
Aurelien Tchouameni (5)
The Frenchman’s lack of focus proved costly when he conceded a penalty via a clumsy shove in the box just before halftime. He failed to dictate the tempo of the game and was often too slow in transition, allowing Benfica to bypass the Madrid midfield with ease.
Arda Guler (6)
It was a tale of two halves for the Turkish youngster. In the central midfield, he was physically overpowered and lost possession too frequently. However, when shifted to the right wing, he looked much more dangerous and provided the cross for Mbappe’s second goal.
Jude Bellingham (6)
Bellingham’s effort could not be questioned as he covered a tremendous amount of ground. He was involved in the grit of the game, but the tactical setup prevented him from getting into the box and influencing the final third as he usually does.
Franco Mastantuono (5)
While he provided the necessary width on the flank, his end product was lacking. He had several opportunities to deliver dangerous balls into the area but was often let down by a poor first touch or indecision when under pressure from the Benfica full-backs.
Kylian Mbappe (8)
The only bright spot for Los Blancos. Mbappe was clinical, scoring a brave header for the opener and a composed second to keep Madrid in the hunt. Even after a brief injury scare, he remained the only consistent threat on the pitch for the visitors.
Vinicius Jr (5)
A remarkably quiet night for the Brazilian star. He was largely invisible during the first half and, despite showing flashes of his usual brilliance after the break, he was frequently crowded out by two or three defenders and failed to find his teammates with his passes.
Substitutes & Manager
Eduardo Camavinga (6): Brought a much-needed physical edge to the midfield and helped Madrid regain a modicum of control in the center.
David Alaba (6): Provided a veteran presence at the back and was more composed than the man he replaced.
Rodrygo (4): Failed to influence the game and capped off a miserable substitute appearance by being sent off for dissent during the chaotic final minutes.
Jorge Cestero (6): The academy graduate looked energetic and confident during his brief time on the field.
Alvaro Arbeloa (4): The manager took a gamble by playing a full-strength side that looked physically and mentally exhausted. His team lacked a cohesive plan to stop Benfica’s breaks and showed a worrying lack of discipline.