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Appointed in September, Mourinho took charge of Benfica shortly after parting ways with Fenerbahce. ..Continue Reading
And the man known as the ‘Special One’ didn’t have to wait long to revisit one of his former clubs, as the Lisbon side met Chelsea in the Champions League group stage on Tuesday.
The Portuguese team suffered a narrow defeat after Richard Rios’ own goal in the 18th minute, and may feel unfortunate not to have earned a draw.
Still, Mourinho seemed to enjoy his return, reconnecting with familiar faces and chatting with staff before and after the match.
During the early stages, Chelsea fans chanted “Jose Mourinho! Jose Mourinho” and the coach responded with a wave and a kiss.
Post-match, despite the result, Mourinho reflected on his connection with Chelsea, saying they are part of his legacy.
“I feed myself with victories and results,” he said. “Of course, I thank them (the fans). I did it on the pitch.
“I know that there’s going to be a relationship forever. Hopefully, I will come back here in 20 years with my grandkids.”
As expected, the evening wasn’t without drama, with Mourinho stirring debate during his press conference.
While explaining tactical adjustments involving a second striker to break down Chelsea’s defence, he focused on Malo Gusto and remarked that Reece James is a “better player” than the French defender.
“I saw Malo Gusto in difficulties,” Mourinho said. “But then Maresca has Malo Gusto in difficulties, so he changes for a better player than Malo Gusto.
“This is Chelsea’s squad that allows them to do that.
“I’m there [at Benfica] for 10 days, I play four matches in 10 days, so everything was travel, play, recovery, play, recover, play, travel, so there is not much time for development. But today I liked the performance very much.”
Benfica’s next challenge is a clash with Porto. Mourinho will return to England on October 21 when his team takes on Newcastle United at St James’ Park.
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