One of the most surprising and talked-about storylines from the 2025/2026 UEFA Champions League league phase is Real Madrid’s unexpected route into the knockout stages despite Kylian Mbappé’s remarkable goal return, having teams like chelsea qualify upon defeating napoli 3:2 in the final group match.
Mbappé finished the group stage with an astonishing 13 goals for Real Madrid, making him one of the competition’s standout performers. However, his individual brilliance was not enough to secure automatic qualification for Los Blancos, as Madrid ended the league phase in 9th position on the table.
Under the new Champions League format, only the top eight teams earn direct passage to the round of 16. Madrid’s ninth-place finish meant they narrowly missed out and were instead forced into the knockout phase play-offs.
Softfootball gathered that Real Madrid have now been drawn against Benfica in the play-offs, setting up a heavyweight clash against the Portuguese side. The tie promises to be one of the most anticipated of the play-off round, with Madrid aiming to justify Mbappé’s goal-scoring heroics by securing a place in the last 16.
The situation has sparked debate among fans and pundits, highlighting how even exceptional individual performances can fall short without consistent team results under the revamped Champions League format.
