Real Madrid handed tough UEFA Champions League draw against Benfica, the team that consigned them to the playoffs.Real Madrid must face their former manager Jose Mourinho again after being drawn with Benfica in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) playoff round, while reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain will face domestic rivals Monaco.In a dramatic finale to the league phase of this year’s competition, Mourinho’s Benfica beat the Spanish giants 4-2 with a last-minute header from the Portuguese club’s keeper Anatoliy Trubin, sealing their place in the knockout rounds.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listThe defeat for Real meant they slipped out of the automatic qualifying positions for the round of 16 and were forced into the extra knockout phase.The top eight teams from the league phase moved straight to the last 16, but the following 16 finishers will now play two-legged playoffs to qualify for that round.UCL victory against Real Madrid sealed Benfica’s recent revivalBenfica were mired in the bottom 12 positions, which resulted in elimination from the competition, until their last-gasp fourth by Trubin improved their goal difference to move them into the playoff spots.The two-time winners from Portugal’s remarkable recovery to take a playoff place – they finished 24th in the 36-team league phase, the last qualifying spot – were not only encapsulated by the defeat of Real but by winning three of their last four matches after losing their opening four games. Benfica coach Jose Mourinho was all smiles for the match against Real Madrid in L …
