○A blow doesn’t mean defeat, at least that’s what former Real Madrid manager and current team executioner Jos Mourinho believes.
Under the Portuguese coach, Benfica defeated Merengues 4-2 in their final league match at the Estadio da Luz. However, ‘The Special One’ still believes that Lubalo Arbeloa’s team can become Champions League winners.
Kylian Mbapp looks at Jos Mourinho and gestures after scoring against Benfica
Mourinho predicts Real Madrid’s future
The 63-year-old coach led the white team from 2010 to 2013, winning the Copa del Rey, La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup. But on Wednesday, he played against his former team and won.
Merengue only scored two goals from Kylian Mbapp (29th minute and 58th minute), while Benfica bounced back strongly with two goals from Andreas Schjelderup, a penalty from Vangelis Pavlidis and an iconic goal from team goalkeeper Anatoli Turbin in the 90th minute + 8th minute of the game, securing a place in the play-offs in 24th place.
For Mourinho, the team’s victory was “deserved,” and after the match he expressed his mixed feelings about facing the team he once coached, saying, “I like going to Madrid, I like going to Milan. I always look forward to seeing my friends.”
However, he also acknowledged Benfica’s efforts and highlighted the likes of Kylian Mbappu as strong contenders to lift the trophy in May.
“Real Madrid and Inter are one of the great candidates. We are not, but we are competing. We lost to Chelsea, but we competed. We lost to Juve, but we competed. We beat Real Madrid… It’s harder to win over two games than one, but football is football. We’re building a team, a squad. You can’t do it individually. You see, it’s time to try what we’re doing.”
Mourinho was full of praise for Real Madrid, and although he was reserved when talking about Benfica, he also emphasized the growth of the team he currently manages and the impact this victory had on the players.
“For Benfica, it’s an incredible honor to beat Real Madrid. They haven’t played them since the great days when they played in the Champions League and in the final. And this is great for the prestige of Benfica and the players.”
Meanwhile, tomorrow, Friday, January 30th, the draw will be held to determine Mourinho and his team’s Champions League Round of 16 opponents.
Given that the 9th or 10th placed team will play the 23rd or 24th placed team, Wednesday’s clash could be repeated as Real Madrid or Inter play Bodo/Glimt or Benfica. The probability is 50/50…
Meanwhile, Arsenal, Bayern, Liverpool, Tottenham, Barcelona, Chelsea, Sporting and Manchester City have already qualified for the round of 16.
Important dates for the upcoming UEFA Champions League:
Playoffs: 17/18 and 24/25 February 2026 Round 16 Draw: 27 February Round 16: 10/11 and 17/18 March 2026 Quarter-finals: 7/8 April and 14/15 2026 Semi-finals: 28/29 April and 5/6 May 2026 Final: May 30, 2026 (Budapest)
