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Jose Mourinho is poised to return to Benfica after the sacking of Bruno Lage.
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He said he “didn’t hesitate” when the club reached out to him.
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The move would reunite him with the side where he began his managerial career in 2000.
Jose Mourinho said he “didn’t hesitate” to express his interest in returning for a second spell as Benfica coach after arriving in Lisbon on Wednesday following the sacking of Bruno Lage.
Also Read: BREAKING : Fenerbahçe Sack Mourinho After One Season
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The club dismissed Lage after Tuesday’s shock 3-2 Champions League defeat by Qarabag, a result that left Benfica reeling and the board scrambling for a quick solution.
Mourinho, who left Fenerbahçe in August, confirmed Benfica had contacted him to test his willingness to come back to the club where he began his managerial career in 2000.
“Benfica officially asked me if I was interested… What coach says no to Benfica? Not me,” – Mourinho told reporters after landing in the Portuguese capital.
“When I was presented with the opportunity to coach Benfica, I didn’t hesitate to say that I’m interested, that I’d like to.”
Jose Mourinho sounded calm but focused, and he clearly knows the pressure that comes with the job.
The timing is awkward. Benfica had beaten Fenerbahçe in the final round of Champions League qualifying – the same competition that ended Mourinho’s time in Turkey, and days later the Benfica board chose to move on from Lage after the home collapse.
https://punchng.com/mourinho-set-for-benfica-return/
Club president Rui Costa praised Lage’s record and noted the club hoped to confirm a new coach in time for Saturday’s league match with AVS.
“I don’t know if Mr Mourinho will be confirmed or not. The important thing is that he’s a man who knows Benfica very well. ‘Curiously he’s faced this team three times and knows the squad well. He had said that I was a happy man because of all the options I had. He will certainly be an even happier man than me.’”
If Mourinho accepts, this return would bring him full circle — from a brief 11-match spell at Benfica in 2000 to continental success with Porto, and later high-profile jobs at Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Manchester United.
Fans and pundits will watch closely to see if Jose Mourinho still has the tactical spark that once delivered Europe’s biggest trophies.
