On the evening of 7/1, at Magalhaes Pessoa Stadium, Benfica suffered a heavy 1-3 defeat to Braga despite having 21 shots with 9 on target, compared to Braga's 8 shots with 5 on target. In the first half, Pau Victor and Rodrigo Zalazar scored two goals for Braga. Vangelis Pavlidis converted a penalty in the second half to reduce the deficit for Benfica, but any hopes of a comeback were quickly extinguished when Gustaf Lagerbielke scored Braga's third goal, securing their victory.

"I apologize to Braga and Coach Carlos Vicens, but I cannot say they deserved to win. What I can say is that Benfica deserved to lose," Mourinho stated at the post-match press conference. According to him, during the first 45 minutes, Benfica's performance was subpar across all aspects, from their mentality and ball control quality to their incredible individual mistakes.

Coach Jose Mourinho on the bench during Benfica's 1-3 loss to Braga in the Portuguese League Cup semi-finals on 7/1. *Photo: Sporx*

The 62-year-old coach asserted that Benfica's issues were not tactical but primarily stemmed from technical errors and individual lapses in performance. "With so many mistakes, the match became unsalvageable," he said, adding that such a performance was "unacceptable under any circumstances."

Following a disastrous first half, Benfica played better after the break, pushing Braga back and creating more pressure. Mourinho revealed he had instructed his players to score early to fuel hopes of a comeback. However, Braga's third goal, conceded from a set piece, extinguished all their efforts. "When the team is trying to turn the tide, we cannot afford to make defensive mistakes like that," he expressed with frustration.

After the match, Mourinho broke his usual routine by speaking directly with the players in the locker room instead of waiting until the next day. "The Special One" conceded it was a critical exchange, though maintained a calm demeanor. "There were individual performances that were completely unacceptable, leading to a very weak collective in the first half," Mourinho stated.

This defeat continues to mount significant pressure on Mourinho. In the national league, Benfica currently sits in third place with 39 points, trailing league leaders Porto by 10 points. Their next match, on 14/1, will see them face Porto again in the National Cup quarter-finals.

Despite his disappointment with their exit from the League Cup, Mourinho expressed hope for a positive reaction from his players. "Hopefully, their wounded pride and sense of guilt will motivate them to play a serious, solid match," he said, also reminding them that Benfica was the only team not to lose to Porto in the first half of this season.

Chairman Rui Costa also acknowledged that the defeat was difficult to accept in a competition Benfica had aimed to win. He believed that the team's poor performance in the first half ultimately cost them the match.

"We exited a tournament we wanted to win. What happened in the first half is inexcusable," Rui Costa stated. He clarified that the team's immediate return to the Seixal training center that night had been pre-planned for upcoming match preparations, rather than being a disciplinary measure.

Hong Duy (according to Abola)