Mourinho caused Real Madrid to lose both the match and face setbacks, missing direct qualification and receiving two red cards; Benfica edged through with a 4-2 win.

At 4 a.m. on January 29 Beijing time, in the 8th round of the Champions League group stage, Mourinho confronted his old team, managing Benfica at home versus Real Madrid; Benfica sought a place in the knockout playoffs, and Real Madrid competed for direct entry into the top 16!

In the first half, Raúl Asensio assisted Mbappé to break the deadlock, Sherdrup scored to equalize, then Tchouaméni conceded a penalty, which Pavlidis converted to put Benfica ahead 2-1 at halftime; in the second half, Sherdrup scored again to extend the lead, Guiller assisted Mbappé for his second goal to pull one back, Raúl García was sent off after two yellows, followed by Rodrigo also receiving a second yellow and red, and in stoppage time, Benfica’s Trubin headed past Courtois to seal the game.

Ultimately, Benfica defeated a 9-man Real Madrid 4-2, clinching the 24th spot in the Champions League group stage to qualify for the knockout playoffs; Real Madrid dropped from 3rd to 9th place, missing direct qualification to the last 16 and having to contest a two-legged playoff.

Benfica vs Real Madrid featured the Portuguese league’s third place against La Liga’s second; Mourinho deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation with a starting lineup valued at €192 million;Aveloya set up a 4-3-3 with Vinicius, Mbappé, and Mastantono forming the front three, Bellingham, Tchouaméni, and Guiller as the midfield trio, Carreras, Heison, Raúl Asensio, and Valverde in defense, Courtois in goal, with a starting lineup worth €1.023 billion..

Facing Real Madrid, Mourinho clearly outclassed a newcomer like Aveloya. Real Madrid’s starting lineup was a €1 billion star squad; Aveloya’s approach, politely put, allowed Madrid players freedom, or bluntly, showed a lack of tactical competence. He certainly wasn’t on Alonso’s level, but the setup was similar. Mastantono was sleepwalking, Madrid’s midfield was outmatched, the defense too weak to hold firm, and ultimately Madrid had two players sent off, losing both the game and face. This match showed not just anyone can coach well; Madrid’s decision to dismiss Alonso might have been a disastrous move caused by internal conflicts.

Match statistics show Benfica’s clear dominance over Real Madrid. Although Benfica’s possession was only about 33%, they had 22 shots, 6 more than Madrid’s 16, with 12 on target—twice Madrid’s 6—making Benfica’s 4-2 victory a very justified result.