Portuguese tactician, Jose Mourinho has confirmed he is in advanced talks to become Benfica’s new manager after touching down in Lisbon on Wednesday.
The Portuguese coach, who has been out of work for less than a month following his departure from Fenerbahce, is expected to take over from Bruno Lage.
Lage was dismissed after Benfica’s shock Champions League defeat to Qarabag at the Estádio da Luz, a result that stunned supporters.
Mourinho, visibly relaxed as he addressed the press at the airport, admitted that the approach from Benfica was one he could not turn down.
“Benfica officially asked me if I was interested. What coach says no to Benfica? Not me,” he said. “When I was presented with the opportunity to coach Benfica, I didn’t hesitate to say that I’m interested, that I’d like to.”
The move would mark a return to the club where Mourinho’s managerial career first began back in 2000. His initial stay was brief, just 11 games, before a dispute with the president forced him to walk away. Two years later, he made history at Porto, guiding them to six trophies in two seasons, including the Champions League in 2004.
Since then, Mourinho has built one of the most illustrious managerial careers in modern football, taking charge of Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Tottenham, Roma and Fenerbahce.
Ironically, it was Benfica who ended his time in Turkey when they eliminated Fenerbahce from the Champions League play-offs on August 27, leading to his exit two days later.
If his appointment is confirmed, Mourinho’s return to the Benfica dugout will come with immediate pressure. The team faces Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on September 30 before travelling to Newcastle and hosting Real Madrid in a Champions League group that already looks like a dead end for the Portuguese side.
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