There is a reason why the UEFA Champions League is the most watched competition in the world.

It is simply captivating, amazing, and unpredictable. The magic of the Champions League is spell-bound.

Real Madrid were poised to finish second after Arsenal in the league phase format, but ended ninth.

Jose Mourinho clearly showed he has not lost his spark. He’s still undoubtedly the ‘Special One’.

Mourinho’s captivating Benfica buoyed by an unquenchable hunger for success stunned Real Madrid at the stadium of light.

Kylian Mbappe set the game rolling with a header goal in the 30th minute before another header from Andreas Schjelderup to restore parity.

Vangelis Pavlidis sent Benfica into the lead with from the penalty spot just before halftime after he was fouled by Aurelien Tchoumeni in during a corner-kick.

Schjelderup extended the lead for the home team nine minutes into the second half as they began dreaming of reaching the playoff despite Mbappe reducing the deficit four minutes later.

While results elsewhere affecting where both teams will finish at the end of the last matchday (8) of the league phase, it was pure drama in the dying embers of the game.

Raul Ascencio and second-half substitute Rodrygo saw red, as the record winners of the competition went down to nine men with Jose Mourinho needing a goal to finish above Olyimpique Marseille on goal difference.

Up stepped Anatoliy Trubin in the last minute of the game among his teammates to amazingly head Benfica into the playoffs, as the whole stadium went absolute ballistic.

Mourinho jumped up and down celebrating with a ball boy as Benfica president and former player Rui Costa in the VVIP shouting on top of his lungs in jubilation — a night never to be forgotten in the history of the Champions League.