'One of the best wingers in the world' - Jose Mourinho admits he 'would love' to have £54m Chelsea star Pedro Neto at Benfica ahead of Champions League showdown

Mourinho is gearing up for a highly-anticipated return to his old stomping ground when Benfica take on Chelsea in Europe’s premier club competition. The 62-year-old managed the Blues between 2004 and 2007 and again between 2013 and 2015, lifting eight major honours including three Premier League titles, two League Cups and one FA Cup.

While Mourinho has cheekily expressed his delight over Chelsea forward Cole Palmer’s planned absence from the game, the former Inter and Real Madrid manager has equally highlighted Neto as someone who could cause his Benfica side problems on the night.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the game, Mourinho said: “Neto is one of the best wingers in the world. Enzo Maresca is privileged because he has three, four players of a similar profile. Of course, I would love to have Pedro Neto at Benfica, but he's playing in a different reality with a different finances.”

And while also speaking to the media in the build-up to the match, Neto returned the compliment to Mourinho, telling reporters: "You cannot have a divided opinion on him (Mourinho). What he did for Portugal, what he did for Portuguese people, what he has won.

“People in Portugal respect him a lot and know the value that he has. Benfica hired him for that reason. He is one of the biggest names in Portugal with [Cristiano] Ronaldo and [Luis] Figo. 

“It would be a privilege to be managed by Jose Mourinho, who wouldn't want to be managed by him?”

Neto has established himself as one of the Premier League’s best wingers since moving to England in 2019. The 25-year-old, known for his pace and directness, scored 14 goals in 135 games in all competitions for Wolves before joining Chelsea for £54 million (€62m/$72.5m) in 2024. In his first full season at the club, Portugal international Neto scored nine goals in 51 games as Enzo Maresca’s men lifted both the Conference League and the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup in 2024-25.

Mourinho, meanwhile, has made a strong start following his return to Benfica earlier this month. Having first managed the Portuguese giants in 2000, Mourinho has guided the club to wins against AVS and Gil Vicente and a draw against Rio Ave in his first three matches in charge. Mourinho was appointed after his predecessor, Bruno Lage, was sacked after Benfica threw away a two-goal lead in their 3-2 defeat against Azerbaijani side Qarabag in the club’s Champions League opener on September 16.

And while Mourinho has acknowledged Chelsea will always be his “home”, he is planning to keep his emotions in check when he returns to the Stamford Bridge touchline with Benfica.

Speaking to the media ahead of the match, Mourinho said: "I am feeling home. I already played here with Spurs, Manchester United and Inter. But I am not a Blue now. I am Red. And I want to win. I am expecting two teams wanting to win. Chelsea will only play for a victory, especially after losing the first game [against Bayern Munich]. We will have to defend well to win the game. Our tactical approach is to try and win the game.

"We have Chelsea, Real Madrid and Newcastle in this competition [the Champions League]. All these games are hard. So tomorrow we have to chase the points. Our Champions League fixtures are harder than Chelsea's games.”

Neto and Chelsea are also looking to record their first Champions League win of the season when they entertain Benfica. The west Londoners were beaten 3-1 by Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich in their opening fixture, with in-form striker Harry Kane scoring twice on the night. Chelsea will then look to secure their first league win since August 30 when they play host to Liverpool in the Premier League on Saturday. Maresca’s side failed to win any of their last three league games, drawing with Brentford before losing against Manchester United and Brighton.