Following their 3-2 Champions League defeat to Qarabag on 16/9, Benfica announced the dismissal of manager Bruno Lage. Club president Rui Costa immediately began the search for a replacement, setting his sights on Mourinho. According to Portuguese newspaper A Bola, Mourinho has agreed in principle to the role and is expected to sign a contract soon.
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Mourinho sits on a chair bearing the Benfica emblem during Fenerbahce's Champions League play-off defeat against Benfica at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon, Portugal, on 27/8/2025. Photo: Reuters |
Mourinho sits on a chair bearing the Benfica emblem during Fenerbahce's Champions League play-off defeat against Benfica at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon, Portugal, on 27/8/2025. Photo: Reuters
Mourinho's last match managing Fenerbahce was a 1-0 loss to Benfica in Lisbon during the second leg of the 2025-2026 Champions League play-off. Fenerbahce's failure to qualify for the Champions League led to the 62-year-old manager's dismissal. However, signing with Benfica would mark Mourinho's return to the Champions League since his 2019-2020 stint with Tottenham.
Benfica's next Champions League match is scheduled for 30/9 at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge. This fixture presents a reunion opportunity for Mourinho with the club he managed from 2004-2007 and 2013-2015, winning eight trophies, including three Premier League titles.
Immediately following the Chelsea match, Benfica will face Porto, another of Mourinho's former clubs. He led Porto to a Champions League victory in 2004 before joining Chelsea.
In their final Champions League group stage match on 28/1, Benfica will play Real Madrid, providing Mourinho another potential reunion with a former team.
Founded in 1904, Benfica plays at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon. They are the most decorated club in the Portuguese league, boasting 38 titles, compared to Porto's 30 and Sporting's 21. In the past two seasons, Benfica finished second to Sporting. However, they have progressed past the Champions League group stage in three of the last four seasons.
Hoang An (A Bola)
