Mourinho wary of 'wounded' Madrid ahead of Champions League reunion

Benfica boss Jose Mourinho insisted that Real Madrid would be "wounded and dangerous" heading into the first leg of their Champions League play-off. 

Mourinho's men welcome Madrid to Estadio da Luz on Tuesday, the same venue that played host to one of the most extraordinary finishes to a match just 16 days ago. 

Andreas Schjelderup and Vangelis Pavlidis' penalty had cancelled out Kylian Mbappe's opening goal in the first half, but the chaos ensued after the break. 

Benfica pulled further clear when Schjelderup grabbed his second, only for Mbappe to notch his brace before Raul Asencio and Rodrygo were sent off in stoppage time. 

However, with Mourinho's side needing one goal to reach the play-offs, goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin headed home in the 98th minute to confirm his team's place in the next round.

Indeed, Trubin became the fifth different goalkeeper to score a Champions League goal, after Jorg Butt (three), Sinan Bolat, Vincent Enyeama, and Ivan Provedel (one each). 

It also saw Mourinho win his first ever match against Madrid across all competitions in what was his sixth attempt, though the he acknowledged that his former employers would be out for revenge, having dropped from third to ninth after that defeat. 

"They are wounded. And a wounded king is dangerous," said former Madrid coach Mourinho.

"We will play the first leg with our heads, ambition and confidence. We know what we did to the kings of the Champions League."

Benfica have won three of their four Champions League/European Cup against Madrid (L1), though they have a poor overall record against LaLiga teams in the competition. 

They have won just two of their last eight Champions League against Spanish opposition (D1 L5), though both of those wins have come on home soil whilst scoring exactly four goals in each – 4-0 vs Atletico Madrid in October 2024 and 4-2 vs Real Madrid in January.

And Benfica have won their last two Champions League home games. The only previous occasion in which they have won three in a row in the same edition was in 1994-95, in their first three matches following the competition's rebrand.

However, the Opta supercomputer is siding with Alvaro Arbeola's side to take a first-leg advantage back to the Spanish capital, with Madrid assigned a win probability of 49% in its data-led simulations, while Benfica are handed a 27.2% chance of a win. 

Mourinho, however, believes that his team being the underdogs in this clash will work out in their favour. 

"I don't think it takes a miracle for Benfica to eliminate Real Madrid. I think Benfica needs to be at the highest level," Mourinho added.

"I don't even say high, I mean maximum, almost bordering on perfection, which does not exist. But not a miracle.

"Obviously, Real Madrid is Real Madrid, Real Madrid players are Real Madrid players: history, knowledge, ambition. The only comparable thing is that they are two giant clubs.

"Beyond that, there is nothing else. But football has this power, and we can win."