Benfica secured a crucial 2-0 victory over Napoli in their Champions League group stage match, with goals from Richard Rios and Leandro Barreiro. The win marked a significant moment for coach Jose Mourinho, who faced Antonio Conte for the first time in the competition.

The opening goal came in the 29th minute when a Napoli player misjudged a cross into the box, allowing Richard Rios to rush in and score with a diagonal shot. Early in the second half, Rios made another impact, running down the right flank and delivering a cross that Leandro Barreiro converted with an improvised backheel, sealing the 2-0 victory.

Coach Jose Mourinho shakes hands with Antonio Conte before Benfica's 2-0 victory over Napoli in the sixth round of the Champions League group stage at Luz Stadium, Portugal, on 10/12. Photo: Imago

This result marked Benfica's second consecutive victory in the Champions League. In the previous round, the Portuguese club also defeated Ajax 2-0, marking Mourinho's first Champions League win in six years, excluding qualifiers. The match at Luz Stadium yesterday also signified the first time Mourinho had faced Conte in the Champions League. Previously, the two coaches had clashed seven times while working in Italy and England, with Mourinho recording two wins, one draw, and four losses.

Following the match, Mourinho stated that Benfica had executed their tactical plan as intended, emphasizing the decisive role of the players in turning the coaching staff's choices into on-field success. "We, the coaches, are often correct in most decisions, but it is the players who make those choices successful or turn them into failures", the Portuguese coach said. "I know Conte and how Napoli operates very well. At the same time, I am also getting to know my players better. We prepared thoroughly, and everything went according to plan. The team today was very intelligent; the victory is their credit".

The Special One suggested that controlling the numbers in midfield played a crucial role in the match against Napoli. He analyzed: "The problem with Napoli was that their midfielders frequently pushed forward to occupy the spaces of Sudakov, Barreiro, or Aursnes. When they pushed high like that, the space behind was exposed, and Ivanovic exploited it effectively. The players did a wonderful job, so it would be unfair to say who was better than whom".

Leandro Barreiro celebrates his goal that sealed the score. Photo: AFP

Meanwhile, Conte admitted that Napoli entered the match in an exhausted physical condition after a dense series of matches, which led to their defeat in Lisbon. "We lacked sharpness from the start", he said. "Benfica played on Friday, while we played on Sunday after a series of intense matches. We expended too much energy, both physically and mentally. I knew we would pay the price sooner or later".

According to Conte, Napoli could not maintain their proactive pressing and made mistakes from the beginning of the match. The Italian coach analyzed: "We wanted to press, but the pressing was out of sync and led to a dangerous situation, which caused the whole team to falter. Napoli had a stretched formation and lacked aggression behind the midfield. That is understandable when you have to play six matches in a row every three days".

The 2-0 victory propelled Benfica to 25th place with six points, keeping their hopes of advancing alive. Napoli stood 23rd with seven points, a position for a two-legged playoff to secure a spot in the Champions League round of 16.

Hong Duy