Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin’s incredible stoppage time goal boosted his club into the UEFA Champions League playoffs via a 4-2 win that kept Real Madrid from an automatic spot in the Round of 16.
Real Madrid trailed 3-2 and was set to finish ninth without a goal to equalize in Portugal. Alvaro Arbeola’s Real tarnished those hopes with not one but two red cards against Jose Mourinho’s Portuguese hosts.
MORE — UEFA Champions League league phase final table
Trubin had made four saves when Mourinho furiously waved him into the opposing 18 for a free kick deep in stoppage time.
Benfica needed one more goal to rise above Marseille into the 24th and final spot in the playoff round — where they could face ninth place Real Madrid. Ironically or tragically, Club Brugge had already posted congratulations to Marseille for their qualification on the stadium scoreboard.
Trubin did it!
Benfica trailed 1-0 on the first of two Kylian Mbappe goals, but scored three straight and lead by one heading into stoppage time. Real’s Raul Asencio was sent off after two minutes stoppage time, and Rodrygo was shown a red card a minute before Trubin’s decisive goal.
I personally blame Xabi Alonso. Wait...
Anatoliy Trubin heads Benfica into Champions League playoffs (video)
GOALKEEPER ANATOLIY TRUBIN SCORES A 98TH MINUTE GOAL AGAINST REAL MADRID TO SAVE BENFICA'S #UCL SEASON WITH THE FINAL TOUCH OF THE MATCH! 😱
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) January 28, 2026
IMAGINE NOT LOVING FOOTBALL 🤯 pic.twitter.com/y0thIBEQb5
