Real Madrid dropped by Mourinho's Benfica into Champions League playoffs round alongside PSG

Real Madrid was stunningly dumped into the knockout playoffs of the Champions League by its former coach José Mourinho — whose Benfica team advanced on a last-gasp goal by its goalkeeper — on Wednesday and will be joined there by title holder 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.

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 Raul Asencio and Rodrygo.

''This victory is historic and important," Mourinho said, adding of his goalkeeper: "We knew that he could do it. You have to put the ball there, but it's an amazing goal for the guy.''

Trubin said it was a ''crazy moment. I'm not used to scoring. I'm 24 years old and it's the first time.''

Madrid fell out of the top-eight places when Sporting Lisbon got a stoppage-time goal in a 3-2 win at Athletic Bilbao.

''They have outplayed us," Real Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa said of Benfica. "We've been far from the version we should be.''

PSG falls

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. The game had an explosive start when Newcastle conceded a penalty for a handball in the first minute, and Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembélé's spot-kick was saved by Nick Pope.

Madrid, PSG, Newcastle and last year's beaten finalist 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.

''We don't have to think about it too much,'' said Vitinha, who gave PSG an eighth-minute lead. ''We had the same problem last year, and then out of nowhere things changed and the ball started to go in.''

There is a 50-50 chance it will be Mourinho's Benfica against Real Madrid and Mbappé two more times next month.

The bracket for the playoffs means the ninth-place team, Madrid, can be drawn only against the team that placed either 23rd or 24th. That is, respectively, Bodo/Glimt or Benfica.

If Benfica is not paired with Madrid, then it will be the 10th-place team, Inter Milan — whom Mourinho led to the 2010 Champions League title. It is a remarkable renaissance for Mourinho, who lost his job at Fenerbahce in August for losing in the Champions League qualifying playoffs. Against Benfica.

Bodo/Glimt advances

Norwegian debutant Bodo/Glimt will be a popular addition to the knockout phase, claiming 23rd place by winning 2-1 at Atletico Madrid. That showed how crucial it was to beat Man City last week inside its Arctic Circle home.

Also in the playoffs are Qarabag, Brugge, Galatasaray and Olympiakos, plus Juventus and Atalanta from Italy.

Italian champion Napoli was ousted in 30th place after losing 3-2 at home to Chelsea.

Barcelona's turnaround

At halftime Wednesday, the in-play standings showed Chelsea in 12th and Barcelona 13th, both heading for the playoffs.

Barcelona was trailing at home to lowly Copenhagen, whose goal was scored by 17-year-old Icelandic striker Viktor Dadason, who scored three times in his debut Champions League season.

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