The Portuguese José Mourinho, coach of Benfica, assured this Friday that “no one” from Real Madrid has contacted him to propose a possible return to the Spanish team’s bench.
“No one spoke to me about Real Madrid, I can guarantee it. I have been in football for as many years as you have in journalism, and we are already used to these things, but nothing about Real Madrid,” Mourinho responded during the press conference prior to the match that his team, second in the Portuguese League, will play this Saturday against Famalicão, fifth in the table.
Mourinho, who coached the Merengue team between 2010 and 2013 and who has accumulated titles in Spain, England, Italy and Portugal – including two in the Champions League, one with Porto and another with Inter Milan – expressed himself this way when asked about the rumors of a possible move to the Spanish capital.
When also asked about his renewal at Benfica, the coach simply recalled that he has one year left on his contract with the Lisbon team.
“I can’t say anything in advance. I already told your colleague that nothing about Real Madrid and about Benfica you know the situation. I have one more year on my contract with Benfica and that’s it,” he explained.
The name of Mourinho, 63, has appeared in the Portuguese and international press as a possible replacement for Álvaro Arbeloa at Real Madrid.
Even so, in an interview published this Wednesday by the Italian newspaper Il Giornale, Mourinho clarified that he is not considering leaving and that his goal is to take the ‘eagles’ to the Champions League.
Benfica is in second position in the table on the thirty-second round of the Portuguese League, with 75 points, seven points behind leader Porto.
