'Players weren't serious' - Jose Mourinho says he wanted to make NINE substitutions in explosive rant after Benfica clash

The fourth round tie pitted one of Portugal's most vaunted clubs against relative minnows; Atletico are currently plying their trade in the third tier of the country's league pyramid. Despite the gulf in stature, the minnows frustrated a lacklustre Benfica side for the opening 45 minutes, keeping the game scoreless going into the break. 

That prompted Mourinho into a change of formation and four changes at the break. Benfica's superiority eventually told, with the record 26-time cup winners taking the spoils thanks to a 73rd minute header from Ricard Rios and a Vangelis Pavlidis penalty a few minutes later. 

Despite their progress in the competition, Mourinho gave his players both barrels in his post-match interview, lambasting their first half performance and questioning their commitment. 

The two-time Champions League winning manager, who started his second spell as the Lisbon club's boss in September 2025, was frank in his response when questioned if his message was getting through to his players. While he did not shirk his responsibility in getting a tune out of the squad, he suggested his players were falling short in their duty towards him and the club's fanbase. 

Mourinho said: "Atlético did an extraordinary job. I saw them play in Mafra in a league game, they played an extraordinary game and I realized they had the qualities to make the game difficult for us. But our first half was poor. And it was poor in the sense that it hurts me the most, which is the attitude. The attitude was poor. 

"There were many players who weren't serious and didn't approach things as they should have. At halftime I made four substitutions, but I wanted to make nine. With the players at halftime, I told the two who were taking the game seriously that I wanted to keep on the field. The other nine weren't. 

"In the second half we improved a lot, Atlético couldn't get out with the same quality anymore and it was only a matter of time before we scored. I was pleased with the second half because the attitude improved." 

When asked how he changed things tactically to accomodate the switch in personnel, he commented: "One thing has nothing to do with the other. What didn't work was the players who were on the field. I didn't want to single anyone out because that's something that should be done internally, but to remove some of the players I wanted to remove, it was necessary to change the system. And we had players who, from the first minute, weren't there. And that, to me, is unacceptable. I've already told some of them not to come knocking on my door asking why they aren't playing."

In response to questions about his message failing to reach his new charges, the ex-Chelsea coach said: "I think the message isn't just mine, it's a general one. From Benfica fans. In my case, I'm the coach and the one responsible. The players have a responsibility to me and to Benfica fans. And there are things regarding their attitude that are unacceptable." 

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Mourinho took over at the Portuguese giants after the sacking of Bruno Lage. While Benfica have yet to lose a league game this season, a spate of draws, including three under Mourinho, have left them six points adrift of Porto in the Liga Portugal. 

Lage's dismissal came after they opened their Champions League campaign with a chastening 3-2 home defeat to Azerbaijani outfit Qarabag. Mouinrho has failed to engender a turnaround in European competition, with Benfica losing all three of their league phase games, most recently falling to a 1-0 defeat to Leverkusen at the Estadio da Luz.

Th ex-Real Madrid and Inter manager will hope his players react positively to his post-match comments, as they prepare for a crucial run of fixtures over the coming fortnight. Next Tuesday, the Eagles face off against Ajax in the Champions League. A Lisbon derby against Sporting on December 5 could determine who will mount a title challenge against Porto, while the arrival of Antonio Conte's Napoli on December 10 will present another stiff challenge in Europe.