Don't underestimate Mourinho

Mourinho is on the way to revive Benfica.

In the early morning of October 1, Chelsea defeated Benfica 1-0 at Stamford Bridge. Despite receiving a hero's welcome from Chelsea fans, Mourinho could not create a fairy tale when Benfica suffered a defeat against a stronger team. However, Benfica caused many difficulties for Chelsea, exposing the familiar weaknesses of "The Blues" this season.

Mourinho is still Mourinho

With his signature style, Mourinho is the centre of attention even before the game starts. His fiery actions and emotions in the press room or on the sidelines are sometimes more captivating than the action on the pitch.

Before the match, Mourinho used familiar psychological tactics when praising coach Enzo Maresca and Chelsea's chances of winning the Champions League, even mentioning that "The Blues" had won the Club World Cup. Mourinho's words were both complimentary and implied threats and provocations towards Maresca and Chelsea.

And indeed, Chelsea's performance against Benfica showed their strength as Mourinho hinted: "The Blues" are far from being a real candidate for the Champions League title.

Chelsea, despite playing at home and being rated much higher than Benfica before the match, had to work very hard to win. The lackluster performance of Chelsea and coach Enzo Maresca contrasted with what Mourinho showed.

In a somewhat dull match, the most memorable moment of the match at Stamford Bridge came from Mourinho's unexpected action. When Benfica fans threw strange objects at Enzo Fernandez, a former player of theirs now playing for Chelsea, Mourinho went to the stands to ask the group to stop.

The above action shows that Mourinho is still a coach full of personality and determination. Mourinho's return as head coach of Benfica has stirred up not only the Portuguese football community, but also attracted the attention of the whole of Europe.

Now, in 2025, Benfica is more than just a new job for Mourinho. The Portuguese club can help him rekindle his ambition. A reunion with Benfica also marks Mourinho's return to the Champions League after nearly half a decade away.

The last time he led in this tournament was with Tottenham Hotspur in the 2019/20 season. Since then, Mourinho has almost left the pinnacle of the Champions League, when he only led clubs playing in the Europa League or Europa Conference League.

Maresca's Chelsea had a hard-fought win over Benfica.

While at Fenerbahce, Mourinho was eliminated in the Champions League play-off round for two consecutive years. With Benfica, Mourinho had the opportunity to experience the new format of the Champions League (league phase) for the first time.

The class is still there

This is also an opportunity for the “Special One” to prove that his time is not over yet. The reunion with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge is just the beginning, Mourinho will also lead Benfica to meet Real Madrid at Estadio da Luz in the Champions League qualifying round.

It will be another chance for him to reaffirm his talent on the biggest stage in Europe at club level. Mourinho has always been famous for his ability to create surprises in the Champions League.

Who can forget Porto's victory over Manchester United in 2004, or the historic treble with Inter Milan in 2010? Despite the defeat, Mourinho left his mark with his charisma on the touchline and Benfica's fighting spirit.

Don’t forget that Mourinho only returned to Benfica a little over a month ago, after being sacked by Fenerbahce. The “Special One” has a lot of work to do at Benfica, and the recent 1-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge was not such a bad result.

Mourinho once confidently declared: "I returned to Benfica after 25 years, but not to celebrate my career. I am hungrier than ever for success."

Benfica played with determination, even dominating Chelsea in the second half, but lacked luck and sharpness. They also only conceded defeat to Chelsea thanks to a Richard Rios own goal in the 18th minute.

More importantly, Mourinho remained true to himself. From the pre-match mind games, to his intervention when Benfica fans threw objects at Enzo Fernandez, to his post-match comments: "We could have drawn, that would have been a positive."

He remains a “global brand”, as The Guardian describes it, with the ability to inspire and create drama. Clearly, Mourinho is not done – he is just in a “reinvention” phase.

With his illustrious history and ability to turn adversity into motivation, the "Special One" may have another epic chapter at Benfica. Mourinho is still Mourinho: Always special, always surprising.

Source: https://znews.vn/dung-voi-xem-thuong-mourinho-post1589773.html