The Portuguese coach José Mourinho, current coach of Benfica, made it clear that he is not thinking about leaving the club and that his main objective is to qualify the team for the Champions League, amid rumors about a possible return to Real Madrid.
“No, my next goal is to take Benfica to the Champions League,” said Mourinho in an interview with the Italian newspaper Il Giornale, when asked about his future and the possibility of returning to the Merengue club or directing Juventus.
Benfica is second in the Portuguese league, three points ahead of Sporting Lisbon, although its direct rival has one game less. Both teams are fighting to ensure their presence in the next Champions League.
The name of Mourinho, of 63 years old, he has been mentioned in international media as a possible replacement on the Real Madrid bench, a team he already managed between 2010 and 2013.
His time in Rome, the most special
In the same interview, the Portuguese coach highlighted his time at Roma, a club he coached between 2021 and 2023, as the most special of his career.
“I have never felt the same atmosphere around a team. The Olympic stadium was always full, the connection of the fans with the players… It was something incredible,” he expressed.
Mourinho especially remembered the conquest of the Conference League in 2022, ensuring that the celebration even surpassed those he experienced after winning the Champions League. “The party was crazy. Not even in my victories in the Champions League did I see anything like that,” he said.
Opinion on Italian football
The coach also spoke about Italian football, ensuring that it is not very different from other leagues, although he highlighted its ability to make adjustments and “clean up” the system at certain times.
Finally, he gave Portugal as an example to explain the success in training players. “Many people wonder how a country of 10 million inhabitants manages to qualify for the World Cup and have so many players in the best clubs in Europe. Just look at how youth tournaments are organized to understand it… and copy it,” he concluded.
