Mourinho's team beat Madrid 4-2 at Estadio da Luz, with goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scoring a 98th-minute goal that sealed itgs spot in the next round. 

Benfica was heading out at the first hurdle despite leading 3-2 heading into added time, with Andreas Schjelderup's brace and Vangelis Pavlidis cancelling out Kylian Mbappe's 30th-minute opener. 

Mbappe scored again for Alvaro Arbeloa's side to threaten a nervy finish, but after Raul Asencio and Rodrygo saw red late on, Trubin headed home to see Benfica sneak into the top 24 on goal difference, at the expense of Marseille. 

Mourinho's side finished 24th in the 36-team standings and could face Madrid or Serie A leader Inter in the play-off round. 

Benfica is 10 points adrift of Primeira Liga leader Porto and Mourinho has felt the heat, but has taken the opportunity to fire back at his critics after the unforgettable victory.

"I'd like a little bit of respect. I appeal to many of these people, not to jump off balconies. Calm down," Mourinho said.

"Benfica will lose, they can hurt us again. But the only thing I'd like is a little bit of respect, for Benfica and for Benfica's players."

The result saw Mourinho, who managed Los Blancos between 2010 and 2013, win his first ever match against Madrid across all competitions in what was his sixth attempt.

Prior to tonight, Madrid was the side Mourinho had faced most in his career without recording a victory, and his Benfica team did so in style in front of its home supporters. 

It started strongly, with Benfica attempting 14 shots in the first half against Madrid.

Los Blancos have only ever faced more shots in the first half of a Champions League game on record once before (since 2003-2004), facing 15 against Juventus in November 2013.

But the best was saved until last. Trubin became the fifth different goalkeeper to score a Champions League goal, after Jorg Butt (three), Sinan Bolat, Vincent Enyeama, and Ivan Provedel (one each). 

"I don't remember [a night like this]," Mourinho said. "Winning or losing games in the last minute or the last play of the game has happened to me many times. 

"But in this situation, where you're winning, but it's not enough, then you think it's enough, but it's not, then you have to change things and take risks, because in the end, this ball could make it 3-3 and at 3-3 we would be eliminated.

"But I think beating Real Madrid always has an important and significant weight, but at that moment we have to go all out. We are not a very strong team in the air.

"The big guy went there and scored a spectacular goal, which, regardless of our future in the competition, this victory is historic and, from an economic point of view, it is also important for Benfica, and from a prestige point of view even more so."

Trubin, meanwhile, was unaware of the scenario his team found themselves in before being sent forward for Fredrik Aursnes' free-kick. 

"Before, I hadn't yet realised what we needed, but then when we got the free kick, I saw everyone looking at me and urging me to go forward, as well as the coach," Trubin said. 

"It was a crazy moment. For Pavlidis, scoring is normal, but for me, in 32 years, it was the first time I scored a goal, and it's unbelievable."