José Mourinho has made a stunning return to Benfica, the club where he started his managerial career, following the sacking of Bruno Lage. The 62-year-old was unveiled as Benfica’s new manager on Thursday, just a month after his own dismissal from Turkish side Fenerbahçe. In a candid interview, the veteran coach took a parting shot at his former club, calling his move to Turkey a “mistake.”
Mourinho, who has managed some of the world’s biggest clubs including Chelsea, Manchester United, and Real Madrid, believes his new role at Benfica puts him back where he belongs. Speaking to the Portuguese newspaper Abola, he didn’t hold back.
“My career so far has been rich; I’ve coached the biggest clubs in the world, in different countries,” Mourinho said. “I made the wrong choice; sometimes I don’t have the right word in Portuguese… no regrets, because regrets don’t help us at all in life, but the awareness of what we did well and what we did wrong exists. I made a mistake going to Fenerbahçe; it wasn’t my cultural level, it wasn’t my football level, it wasn’t my level.”
He added that despite his feelings about the club, he gave his all until the end. “Obviously, I gave everything until the last day,” he said. “Coaching Benfica is returning to my level, and my level is coaching the biggest clubs in the world.”
Mourinho Criticizes Fenerbahçe’s Transfer Policy
The outspoken manager went a step further, criticizing Fenerbahçe’s transfer strategy during his time there. He claimed the club made his job impossible by failing to provide a balanced squad.
“At my previous club, things were easy,” Mourinho continued. “I wanted to play with four players, but the club signed five players the day after I left. While I was there, it was impossible to play with four defenders when the team had seven central defenders. And only one winger.”
Mourinho also reflected on his last match with Fenerbahçe, a Champions League qualifier loss to Benfica that ultimately led to his dismissal. Despite the defeat, he praised the quality of his new club’s squad and admitted his previous comments were designed to deflect pressure from his own team.
“I don’t take back a word of what I said at the time, that Benfica had done a great job in the transfer market, endowing the team with potential that, perhaps, it lacked last season,” he explained. He even confessed that it was difficult for him to congratulate Benfica after the loss. “I’m better, but I’m not exactly a great example of fair play. When I lose, I bite my fingers. It wasn’t very easy for me to congratulate Benfica, Bruno [Lage], Benfica deserved all of that, I recognize what happened.”
Mourinho’s first game back in charge of Benfica will be an away trip to AVS on Saturday. The Eagles currently sit sixth in the league table. All eyes will be on the veteran coach to see if he can deliver on his promise to return the club—and himself—to the top level.
