Mourinho Defeats Real Madrid, Denying Direct Champions League Round of 16 Qualification; Benfica Goalkeeper Scores Late
28 January 2026at22:05
The final round of the league stage of the UEFA Champions League competition witnessed a major surprise, after Real Madrid failed to directly qualify for the Round of 16.
Real Madrid suffered a surprising and harsh 4-4 defeat against Benfica, at the conclusion of the league stage.
This loss froze the Royal team's points tally at 15, causing them to drop to ninth place in the overall standings.
This defeat officially confirmed Real Madrid's failure to directly qualify among the top eight, as the team needed at least one point to secure eighth place. However, the Portuguese superiority tonight forced "Los Merengues" to take the difficult playoff route next February.
Q&A
Why did Real Madrid fail to qualify directly for the Champions League Round of 16?
Real Madrid's surprising 4-4 defeat against Benfica in the final league stage round prevented them from securing the necessary points for direct qualification, dropping them to ninth place.
What does Real Madrid's recent Champions League result imply for their path forward?
The 4-4 defeat against Benfica froze Real Madrid's points at 15, placing them ninth overall and forcing them into a challenging playoff route in February to reach the Round of 16.
