Mourinho Officially Set to Take Over as Benfica Coach

Jose Mourinho arrived in Portugal on a charter flight from Barcelona to finalize his move to Benfica

Jose Mourinho expresses excitement about joining Benfica, saying 'Which coach says no to Benfica? Not me.' Jose Mourinho is set to be officially presented as Benfica's new manager, 25 years after his first stint at the club.

“Whenever I left clubs, I closed the chapter and didn't respond to provocations, I didn't look for excuses...”

Jose Mourinho has arrived in Portugal to finalize his move to Benfica, with an official presentation expected as early as Thursday. The 62-year-old coach was mobbed by fans upon landing at Tires Aerodrome, where he expressed his interest in taking the helm at Benfica.

“Which coach says no to Benfica? Not me,” Mourinho said, highlighting his enthusiasm for the role. This move marks a return to the club where he began his managerial career in 2000, overseeing just 10 games before moving on to Uniao de Leiria.

Mourinho's appointment comes after Benfica parted ways with Bruno Lage following a disappointing start to the season. The club's president, Rui Costa, confirmed Lage's departure, stating, “We believe it's time for a change.” With Benfica facing Chelsea in the Champions League in just two weeks, Mourinho's experience and tactical prowess could be crucial.

“I have nothing to say to you. Before I got on the plane, they asked if I might be interested. I said yes. Benfica asked me if I was interested, and I said that when I got back to Portugal, I'd be happy to talk to people. If I return to Benfica, it's not a career celebration,” he told journalists.

“Benfica officially asked me if I was interested. I said that I was abroad and that when I returned, I would be interested in talking to people,” explained the Portuguese coach.

“I left my previous club four weeks ago. If you ask me if I was expecting to stay until the end of the season without coaching, that's not my nature. I wanted to get back in. I didn't want to say yes to a club that wasn't the right one, just because I'm a workaholic.

“When I was faced with the possibility of coaching Benfica, I didn't think twice in the sense of 'I'm interested, I'd like to'. Which coach says no to Benfica? Not me,” added Mourinho, who also spoke about Bruno Lage.

“I know the feeling, I know what he's feeling. He needs to grieve. There's no coach who leaves happy, thinking it could have been different. I look at him with immense respect because I went through the same thing recently. 

“I'll repeat what I said about him a month ago: he's a great coach who had an important squad, whom I congratulated. And I'm not an example of fair play. It wasn't easy to say that they deserved to win.

“All I have for Bruno is respect and the best for his career. He knows that my return to Portugal wasn't planned, but what was on my mind as a natural consequence for my career would be to return to Portugal one day to coach the national team," said the coach, who was also confronted with the statements of Ali Koc, president of Fenerbahce, who said that it was a "strange coincidence of life” for Mourinho to return to Benfica.

“Whenever I left clubs, I closed the chapter and didn't respond to provocations, I didn't look for excuses, I didn't blame anyone, and I always left with that way of being in life. He has a different way of acting. He's spoken a lot, but he hasn't explained why the player who knocked us out (Kerem Akturkoglu) was only bought after he knocked us out. Let's see what happens,” he replied.

José Mourinho is set to sign a contract with Benfica that's valid until June 2027, with the possibility of extension to 2028. He's expected to make his debut on the bench against Aves SAD this Saturday in the sixth round of the league. Mourinho's arrival comes after Benfica parted ways with Bruno Lage following a disappointing start to the season.

New Coaching Staff:

João Tralhão: Returning to Benfica, Tralhão is a familiar face in the club's youth setup and will join Mourinho's coaching staff.

António Dias: Dias will bring his experience as a physical trainer, having worked with Nuno Espírito Santo in the past.

Pedro Machado: Machado's appointment adds depth to the coaching staff, having recently worked with Académica.

Existing Staff:

Ricardo Rocha and Nuno Santos are expected to remain in their roles, providing continuity under Mourinho's leadership.