'Like a striker!' - Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin reveals 'crazy' emotion of scoring vs Real Madrid and praises Thibaut Courtois for classy gesture after shock win

The Ukrainian stopper sparked wild celebrations with his surprising last-minute goal as the Portuguese side sealed a dramatic victory against the Spanish giants. The win sealed Benfica's place in the Champions League play-off round, finishing 24th to occupy the final spot that guarantees a place in the knockout stage. Reflecting on his transformation from shot-stopper to clinical finisher, Trubin admitted: "Since I started to play football, when I was six, I worked hard and did everything to stop goals. Now, after one moment, a lot of people know me because I scored a goal."

He remains stunned by the public reaction. "It’s still crazy for me," he said. "Still, sometimes, I can’t believe it happened. Today I finished training and a fan stopped me for a photo — they said, ‘Good goal’. That’s never happened before. That moment will always be with me."

The drama was heightened by the fact that neither the players nor manager Jose Mourinho initially realised they needed another goal. Mourinho had enforced a technology ban in the dugout and, believing a 3-2 lead was sufficient, instructed Trubin to waste time. It was only when the crowd and club president Rui Costa began screaming in frustration that the message finally got through.

"We were winning, so I didn’t need to rush," Trubin laughed. "I didn’t understand at all why the fans started screaming, or why some of my teammates were pointing at me — ‘one, one, one’ — I just didn’t get it. But when we won the free kick, Mister [Mourinho] signalled for me to go up. That's when I asked someone, ‘Do we need one more goal?’"

When the signal finally came, Trubin surged forward for a last-gasp free kick. Team-mate Fredrik Aursnes sent in a delivery that Trubin described as "perfect," allowing the keeper to rise above the Madrid defence. "When you play, you don’t think. You just do. This moment, it happened so fast. Maybe because the cross was so perfect, maybe because [a goal] had to happen, for me it was natural, something that easily came," he said. "In this moment, you need to risk. You need to put everything all in. If I need to score, I need to go right in there, to make our fans happy, to make Benfica better. I just ran, and then the movement of my head, it was like I was a striker. It was crazy."

In the wake of the "miracle," one of the most significant moments for Trubin came from his opposite number. Despite the pain of the defeat, Real Madrid's Thibaut Courtois sought out the Ukrainian to offer his congratulations. It was a gesture that left a lasting impression on the 24-year-old.

"I respect every goalkeeper a lot, especially Courtois, but after this moment, for me he’s even more special," Trubin said. "After a difficult defeat, he came to me with a smile to say congratulations. It showed me he’s not just one of the best on the pitch, but off the pitch too. It’s a good example for the younger generation. After a tough defeat, you can show respect."

As fate would have it, the Champions League playoff draw has pitted Benfica against Real Madrid once again. Mourinho, never one to shy away from a narrative, has already begun the mind games by suggesting his former side will be seeking revenge. "They are wounded. And a wounded king is dangerous," Mourinho warned ahead of the first leg. However, he was quick to temper expectations of another goal-scoring cameo from his number one, jokingly stating: "Trubin won’t be in the attack at the Luz stadium."

For Trubin, the rematch is a chance to prove that Benfica's "miracle" was no fluke. Despite the volatile nature of their season, which saw them fall 10 points behind in the league before this European resurgence, belief remains high. "It was either Inter or Real. I don’t care who we play, but because it’s Real, it will be more emotional because of that last game," Trubin concluded.