It was obvious that Jose Mourinho was finished at Fenerbahce the moment the full-time whistle blew in last month's Champions League qualifier at Benfica. However, it also felt like his time at the top was over, too, because Mourinho no longer seemed quite so special.
Jose Mourinho aimed a playful jibe at Manchester City when being quizzed on the 74 charges that are now hanging over Chelsea. The Portuguese coach, who has taken in two spells as Blues boss, finds himself back at Stamford Bridge for a Champions League fixture. The ‘Special One’ has returned to his homeland as the new boss at Benfica, with the 62-year-old having lost none of his ability to entertain when speaking to the media.
Jose Mourinho says he “would love” to have Pedro Neto at Benfica, describing the Chelsea man as “one of the best wingers in the world”. The Portuguese was full of praise for his compatriot as he prepares to make an emotional return to Stamford Bridge when the two teams do battle in the Champions League on Tuesday evening.
Jose Mourinho has warned Chelsea he will not be feeling sentimental when he attempts to lead Benfica to victory on his highly-anticipated return to Stamford Bridge. The Special One heads back to his old stomping ground on Tuesday evening when the Portuguese giants lock horns with Enzo Maresca’s Blues in the latest round of Champions League fixtures.
Jose Mourinho’s reunion with Chelsea, the club where he enjoyed so much success across two spells at Stamford Bridge, is one of the headline fixtures in this season’s Champions League as he takes new employer Benfica back to his former stomping ground. Blues winger Pedro Neto is relishing the chance to come up against his fellow Portuguese thanks to his incredible legacy.
Former Benfica manager Bruno Lage has opened up about the club's failed attempt to sign Joao Felix from Chelsea. The Portuguese side openly declared their desire to bring the forward back to Lisbon but were unable to match the Blues' asking price. Even though Felix had his heart set on returning to Benfica, he opted to accept an offer from Al-Nassr after the Saudi Arabian club paid the fee Chelsea wanted.
Galatasaray manager Okan Buruk has launched a stunning critique of his former rival Jose Mourinho, claiming the Portuguese "hasn't upgraded himself as a coach." After beating Mourinho's Fenerbahce to the Super Lig title last season, Buruk stated he "was better than" Mourinho and that his rival is "not focused like before."
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has called it a “privilege” to face Jose Mourinho as the Portuguese coach returns to Stamford Bridge with Benfica in the Champions League. With the Blues struggling for form and under pressure after recent defeats, Maresca now seeks to steady the ship and secure vital points against a Chelsea legend.
Jose Mourinho has been warned that he may "already be in sh*t" at Benfica as many supporters of his new club "prefer Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp". Having returned to his homeland in familiar surroundings, it is up to Mourinho to win those supporters over. He remains one of the most highly-decorated coaches in the business, but has seen the odd question asked of his methods at 62 years of age.
Benfica have publicly backed Jose Mourinho amid his ongoing feud with referees, issuing a furious statement condemning what they called 'double standards' in officiating. The club claimed recent decisions have systematically gone against them and demanded accountability from the Refereeing Council, insisting such performances 'cannot go unpunished'.
Jose Mourinho claims that he feels that he is a 'much better coach than before' as the Benfica boss prepares for a reunion with his former club Chelsea in the Champions League. After losing his job at Fenerbahce last month, Mourinho returned to his homeland to take charge of Benfica. Under the veteran coach, the Liga Portugal side have registered two wins and a draw thus far.
Benfica manager Jose Mourinho has cheekily admitted he is “happy” Cole Palmer will be absent when he makes an emotional return to his former club Chelsea next week. The Special One heads back to his old stomping ground when he takes the Portuguese giants to Stamford Bridge in the Champions League on Tuesday evening.
Benfica's new boss Jose Mourinho has shut down speculation linking Karim Benzema with a sensational return to Europe. While rumours swirled over a January reunion, Mourinho insisted the 37-year-old striker is happy at Al-Ittihad, thriving financially, and unlikely to leave Saudi Arabia, despite his illustrious Real Madrid past and recent form.
Jose Mourinho has claimed it is his democratic right to critique officials' performances in the same way his own work is judged, as he awaits potential punishment a week after his appointment as Benfica coach. He is under investigation after accusing a referee of having 'no personality' following a controversial 1-1 draw against Rio Ave.
Chelsea fans are "absolutely fuming" and have accused the Blues of exploitation ahead of Jose Mourinho's much anticipated return to Stamford Bridge in the Champions League. The clash has been slapped with a Category AA label, the most expensive tier in the club’s pricing structure, meaning adult general sale seats stretch up to a staggering £83.
Benfica boss Jose Mourinho has accused referee Sergio Guelho of having "no personality" after his side's disappointing 1-1 draw with Rio Ave. The ex-Chelsea manager's new club were pegged back in injury time against their lowly opponents, who are yet to win this season, much to the Portuguese's chagrin.
Jose Mourinho reportedly wanted 'to attend Chelsea games' before his Benfica appointment last week, but the Blues have no plans to offer a homecoming welcome to 'Judas' for their Champions League tie next week. Fresh from his abrupt sacking at Fenerbahce after failing to secure Europe’s top table through qualification, the 61-year-old is once again prowling touchlines where he believes he belongs.
Porto president and Jose Mourinho's former assistant Andre Villas-Boas has spoken about the reception waiting for the Portuguese manager when he arrives at Dragao with his new side Benfica. The Porto supremo has also revealed the messages which were interchanged between him and Mourinho after the latter's decision to return to the Primiera Liga.
Benfica might expect a reunion between newly appointed manager Jose Mourinho and one of his former players at Real Madrid, Karim Benzema. While the former French international is currently playing for Al-Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League, his contract expires next year, and the club are ready to let him go if the Portuguese side pay a small transfer fee.
Jose Mourinho claims to be in a “negative” wage position at Benfica, with the Portuguese tactician saying he would “earn more” if he stayed at home and enjoyed time with his family. The ‘Special One’ has chosen not to do that, with the 62-year-old heading back to where it all began for him in a managerial capacity after taking the reins for a second time at Lisbon giants.
Jose Mourinho has moved quickly to cool tensions with Porto fans after sparking anger with his unveiling comments at Benfica. The 62-year-old Portuguese coach, who began his career with the Lisbon giants in 2000, stressed that his return is not about 'waging war' on Porto or Sporting, despite admitting he expects a frosty reception when Benfica visit the Dragao in October.
AC Milan forward Rafael Leao revealed he was close to signing for his boyhood dream club Benfica, but the move fell through after the club failed to keep their promise of sending a van to pick him up for training. The setback left Leao in tears and ultimately led him to join Benfica’s arch-rivals Sporting CP, where he would go on to make his senior debut before eventually leaving Portugal.
Ruben Amorim insisted that Manchester United are his "only club" while reacting to Jose Mourinho's appointment at Benfica. Mourinho has signed a two-year contract with Benfica after being sacked by Fenerbahce right at the start of the 2025-26 campaign.
Jose Mourinho may have reunited with Benfica, 25 years after resigning from his first senior managerial gig, but the two-year contract the former Chelsea, Real Madrid, Inter and Manchester United boss has signed at the Estadio da Luz is not necessarily all that it may seem. Both he and his new club aren't ready to fully commit to each other just yet.
The latest round of action across Europe's elite leagues saw Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Porto maintain their winning starts to the 2025-26 season. However, while everyone expects Bayern to run away with the Bundesliga, Barca are hot on the heels of Madrid in La Liga, while Porto are presently processing the news that the most famous manager in the club's history has just taken charge of their hated rivals Benfica.
Benfica have released behind-the-scenes footage from Jose Mourinho’s first game back at the club, with the outspoken Portuguese delivering an X-rated team talk to his players before heading into action against AVS Futebol SAD. The ‘Special One’ is back where it all began for him, having returned to his homeland, and has clearly lost none of his passion for his game.
Benfica
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
.png?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
.png?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
.png?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)
.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=3840&quality=60)