Real Madrid will have to battle through the Champions League playoffs, despite a stellar performance from Kylian Mbappé. The Spanish giants were defeated 4-2 by Benfica on Wednesday, a result that sees them finish ninth in the league phase standings and miss out on automatic qualification for the Round of 16.

Mbappé scored twice in the match against Benfica, bringing his Champions League goal tally to 13 for the season. This achievement surpasses Cristiano Ronaldo's previous record of 11 goals in the group stage for Real Madrid in the 2015-16 season. Of Real Madrid's 21 goals in this Champions League season, Mbappé has accounted for 13, highlighting his significance to the team's attack.

Despite Mbappé's record-breaking form, Real Madrid's overall performance has been inconsistent. Mbappé himself acknowledged the team's shortcomings after the loss to Benfica. "In football, games start on 0 minutes and not 45 minutes, so in the end the defeat is deserved," Mbappé stated. He also pointed out that Benfica appeared to be playing with more desire.

Real Madrid's new coach, Álvaro Arbeloa, had overseen three consecutive wins before the Benfica defeat. However, the loss exposed deeper issues within the team, with Mbappé suggesting a lack of consistency and focus. "The problem is we aren't consistent in our play, we have to fix that," he said. "You can't have one day (playing well) and another not, a champion team does not do that".

The draw for the playoff will occur on Friday in Nyon, where Real Madrid will discover whether they face Bodø/Glimt or Benfica. The first leg will be played away on February 17 or 18, with the second leg at the Bernabéu on February 24 or 25.

The loss in Lisbon means Real Madrid will have to play two extra matches to reach the Round of 16. This also marks the first season since 2011–12 without Luka Modrić, and the first since 2014–15 without Lucas Vázquez.

Mbappé has urged the Real Madrid fans to support the team despite the setback. "Come and support the team – we had a bad game – but we are not knocked out of the Champions League and in LaLiga we're in a good dynamic now," he said. "If the Bernabeu is with us...".

While Mbappé's individual brilliance has been a major asset for Real Madrid in the Champions League, it hasn't been enough to secure a top-eight finish and automatic qualification. The team will now have to regroup and fight for their place in the next stage of the competition through the playoffs.