Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappé acknowledged that inconsistency cost his side a direct spot in the Champions League last 16 after they fell to a 4-2 defeat at Benfica on Wednesday. The result left the 15-time European champions ninth in the league phase, forcing them into the knockout playoff round against either Benfica or Bodø/Glimt in February.

Madrid, who had won their previous three matches under new coach Álvaro Arbeloa, were humbled in Lisbon.

“The problem is we aren’t consistent in our play. We have to fix that. You can’t have one day where you play well and another day not. A champion team does not do that,” Mbappé told reporters.

“We deserve to be in this situation today. Benfica were better. Now we have to play two more playoff games. It hurts to have to play those; we wanted to have time in February to work on our game.”

Mbappé admitted he could not pinpoint a single reason for Madrid’s poor performance.

“I think it’s a bit of everything. I can’t tell you it’s just an attitude issue, because if I say that, people will think we came without desire,” he said.

“If I say it’s a football issue, people might think the team is bad. No, it’s a broader issue. In the Champions League, every detail matters if you want to beat your opponent. It shows that if you don’t give everything to win a match, the opponent will punish you.”

Despite the setback, Mbappé urged fans to back the team at the Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday against Rayo Vallecano in La Liga, rather than booing as had happened earlier in January.

“Come and support the team. We had a bad game, but we are not knocked out of the Champions League, and in La Liga we are in a good dynamic now,” he said.

“If the Bernabéu is with us, we will win on Sunday.”