It was بنفيكا that handed Mourinho his very first managerial role in 2000. He lasted just 10 games back then, with his resignation being offered following a change of leadership at the top of the club.
Mourinho went on to thrive with Porto, تشيلسي, انتر و ريال مدريد, while also spending time in إنجلترا with Manchester متحد و توتنهام. He has agreed to take over from ex-Wolves boss Bruno Lage at Benfica.
Fabrizio Romano is among those to report that Mourinho has agreed a deal through to 2027, with that paperwork being completed after flying in from برشلونة. He was giving nothing away when arriving in البرتغال, telling reporters: “I have nothing to tell you. Before I got on the plane, they asked me if I might be interested. I said yes, I might be interested.
“Benfica officially asked me if I would be interested and said that when I returned to Portugal, I would be happy to speak with people. If I return to Benfica, it won’t be a career celebration, nor 25 years later, nor a return home.
“I left my previous club four weeks ago. If you ask me if I expected to stay until the end of the season without coaching, that’s not in my nature. I wanted to join. 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 about it, saying, ‘I’m interested, I’d like it’.”
Mourinho, who also landed major silverware during his time in charge of روما, will be taking charge of a Benfica side that sit sixth in the Portuguese top-flight – five points adrift of leaders Porto. They will be back in action on Saturday when facing Vila das Aves.
