José Mourinho has cast Real Madrid as a “wounded king” as his Benfica side prepare to face the Spanish giants again in the Champions League, insisting it will take near-perfection, but not a miracle, to knock them out.

Benfica stunned Madrid 4-2 in Lisbon in the final round of the league phase, a result that propelled the Portuguese club into the playoffs and pushed the 15-time European champions out of the automatic qualification spots for the round of 16. That upset has set the stage for a charged knockout tie, beginning with the first leg in Lisbon.

“They are wounded, and a wounded king is dangerous,” Mourinho said on the eve of the game. “We will play the first leg with our heads, with ambition and confidence. We know what we did to the kings of the Champions League.”

Mourinho stressed that Madrid remain clear favourites, but rejected the idea that Benfica would need divine intervention to progress. “I don’t think it takes a miracle for Benfica to eliminate Real Madrid. We need to be at our maximum, almost bordering on perfection, which does not exist. But not a miracle.”

Benfica’s dramatic qualification three weeks earlier hinged on a last-gasp header from goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin, who charged forward for a corner and scored the decisive goal. Mourinho, smiling, ruled out a repeat: “Trubin won’t be in the attack this time.”

The encounter is layered with personal history. Mourinho coached Madrid from 2010 to 2013, winning LaLiga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Supercup, and remains a polarising but influential figure at the Bernabeu. Forward Vinícius Júnior recently credited him with having “changed the club’s history a little.”

Mourinho, however, dismissed renewed speculation about a return. He underlined that he has a year left on his Benfica contract, which includes a clause allowing either side to end the deal, and insisted “there’s zero with Real Madrid.”

“I gave everything to Real Madrid,” he said. “When a professional leaves a club with that feeling there ends up being a lifetime connection. I left many years ago and the affection is still there.”

Looking ahead, Mourinho expects a transformed Madrid under new coach Álvaro Arbeloa, who has overseen a run of strong domestic form. “Beating Real Madrid once is very difficult, beating them twice is much harder,” Mourinho said. “We’ll enjoy the match, hope for a result that leaves us with a good feeling, and then go to Madrid to compete with joy and without pressure.”