The celebrated football figure, Jose Mourinho, previously at the helm of Chelsea and Manchester United, recently took up a position with Benfica, marking a return to the club in Lisbon where his managerial journey commenced approximately two and a half decades ago.
Following his departure from Fenerbahce, Mourinho swiftly secured a role with Benfica. The offer included the opportunity to participate in Champions League football and a potential return to West London for a noteworthy reunion with Chelsea.
Chelsea emerged victorious with a 1-0 win on the past Tuesday, although they experienced a setback with striker Joao Pedro receiving a second yellow card late in the second-half stoppage time.
Benfica Maintains League Undefeated Streak Under Mourinho
Benfica has successfully prolonged their undefeated run in the Portuguese league, with the established top three teams holding the leading positions after the initial seven matches.
Porto has displayed a flawless performance with a perfect win record, while Benfica, securing victories in five games, stands as the sole other team without a defeat in the league.
Mourinho, having been considered for the role of Bobby Robson’s assistant manager at Newcastle United, concluded his tenure in Portuguese football twenty-one years prior. He departed from Porto, then the reigning European champions, to succeed Claudio Ranieri at Chelsea under the ownership of Roman Abramovich in 2004.
The individual known as the Special One secured the Premier League title in his initial two seasons and further claimed a third title during a subsequent, shorter tenure in 2014-15.
Following a significant treble victory with Inter Milan, Mourinho was appointed by Real Madrid, where he spent three seasons at the Bernabeu under the leadership of the club’s longstanding president, Perez.
Reports suggest that Mourinho’s rapport with certain senior players deteriorated, leading to his departure from the club in 2013. While officially termed as a mutual agreement, it occurred with Perez’s continued respect and following an unsuccessful attempt by the president to convince him to stay.
After his return to Lisbon following a quarter-century of accumulating trophies across Europe, Mourinho, positioned at number 12 in FourFourTwo‘s ranking of the greatest managers, mentioned that Perez had communicated a supportive message to him.
“I wish to share that President Florentino sent me a message expressing his happiness about my return to a club of such distinction,” Mourinho conveyed to the press.
The schedule of reunions is intense for Benfica’s new manager, as his team is set to face Porto, who are currently leading the league, in a league match scheduled for Sunday.
Benfica has been victorious in three of their most recent four league encounters against their historical rivals, notably winning both matches with a score of 4-1 in the 2024-25 season.
Mourinho is also scheduled to encounter Perez, with Real Madrid slated to visit the Estadio da Luz towards the conclusion of January, as both teams conclude their league phase campaigns in the Champions League.
