Mourinho’s Risky Return to Benfica: Will History Repeat Itself?
Twenty-five years after his fleeting but impactful first stint, José Mourinho is back at Benfica. The intervening years have been nothing short of legendary, a saga etched with both spectacular triumphs and occasional stumbles on the grandest stages of world football. His highly anticipated return to Lisbon has ignited a volatile mixture of unbridled excitement, fervent hope, and cautious apprehension. Is this a calculated masterstroke, a stroke of pure genius poised to reignite the Benfica flame and propel them back to their former glory? Or is it a high-stakes gamble that could potentially unravel, leaving both Mourinho and Benfica worse off than before? The question on every Benfica fan’s lips: Can Mourinho recapture the magic and deliver the silverware the club craves?
Mourinho’s illustrious managerial odyssey, spanning over two decades and encompassing an impressive array of ten clubs, has cemented his status as an icon of the beautiful game. The self-proclaimed Special One boasts a trophy cabinet overflowing with silverware, a testament to his tactical brilliance, unwavering will to win, and meticulous attention to detail. Two Champions League titles, a UEFA Cup, a Europa League, a Conference League, and eight league titles across four different countries, alongside a mountain of other prestigious accolades, vividly illustrate his remarkable achievements and unparalleled success.
He remains a near-mythical figure in Portugal, particularly revered by fans who vividly remember his historic Champions League victory with Porto. His treble-winning season with Inter Milan and his tenures managing global powerhouses like Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Manchester United have only further solidified his legendary status. Despite the fact that his last league title victory was almost a decade ago, there’s undeniable anticipation surrounding the 62-year-old’s return to his homeland. News of his return has dominated headlines, igniting a palpable buzz outside the soon-to-be-rebuilt Estadio da Luz – a stadium that didn’t even exist during Mourinho’s first spell.
We are missing those kinds of iconic coaches here in Portugal, CNN journalist Joao Pedro Oca emphasized, highlighting the profound significance of Mourinho’s return to Portuguese football and the impact it will have on the league’s competitiveness and global visibility. His legacy is awesome here, mainly because of what he did in Porto.
Oca continued, Mourinho was linked to Benfica for a lot of years. This is something everyone expected: the return of Mourinho to Portugal and to Benfica, and eventually to the national team. It was a question of time.
The Potential Pitfalls of Mourinho’s Benfica Takeover
However, this high-profile appointment isn’t without its inherent risks, both for Benfica and for Mourinho himself. The timing is particularly sensitive, given the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for October 25th, adding another layer of complexity to an already intricate situation. Can they manage the inherent challenges? Will the pressure cooker environment stifle the creative flair needed to achieve success?
Expresso journalist Diogo Pombo articulated relevant concerns, stating, He is a cherished figure in Portugal, one that almost transcends club rivalries. But peak Mourinho is long gone, and people are aware of his conflictual style from the last few years.
Despite these valid concerns, Pombo acknowledges the intriguing historical context of Mourinho’s relationship with Benfica, something that could ultimately work in his favor. When he left the club, he was loved by the fans despite only managing the team for 11 games. What he left was a sensation of injustice, of a chaotic club wasting the opportunity to grow with such an ambitious coach.
Unfinished Business: A Second Chance to Shape Mourinho’s Benfica Legacy
Manuel Vilarinho, Benfica’s president at the time of Mourinho’s abrupt departure, has openly expressed his regret for not renewing his contract all those years ago. The fiery, ambitious young manager, then embarking on his first major managerial role, reportedly threatened to resign due to a perceived lack of support from the board. Vilarinho, who had only replaced Joao Vale e Azevedo a month prior, found himself quickly at odds with Mourinho’s assertive personality. Believing that Vilarinho favored a different coaching direction, Mourinho followed through with his threat, stepping down in December 2000 after winning six of his eleven matches.
He made such a big impact, recalls Filipe Ingles, host of the popular Benfica FM podcast, emphasizing the transformative effect Mourinho had on the club despite his short tenure. Benfica at the time was terrible. It was the worst season in all of Benfica’s history.
Ingles highlights the transformative impact Mourinho had on the team, even in that short space of time. We started playing so much better with Mourinho, and it was already the Mourinho that we know from Porto and from Chelsea. At press conferences, he was already that big figure.
Benfica were languishing in the midst of a painful 11-year drought without a Portuguese title. They finally ended the barren streak after Mourinho left Porto for Chelsea in 2004, having just shockingly conquered Europe by winning the Champions League.
Of course, we always think what could have been if Mourinho had stayed at Benfica, Ingles reflects. Maybe Mourinho can change that now – 25 years later.
This time around, the power dynamics are significantly different. Rui Costa, a legendary former Benfica player and national team icon, now serves as president and is openly banking on Mourinho’s arrival to galvanize the fanbase and secure his re-election.
Pombo suggests that The fans might view his appointment as a kind of union finally fulfilled. But the eve of another election is affecting the way his return is received.”
A Political Power Play or a Smart Move for Benfica’s Future?
Costa’s contentious decision to sack Bruno Lage following a Champions League defeat prompted him to publicly declare that a Benfica coach’s profile must be that of a winner, raising the stakes considerably.
While Mourinho’s most recent trophy was the Conference League with Roma three years ago, he had previously masterminded a Europa League triumph with Manchester United in 2017 and secured a league title with Chelsea in 2015. His recent stint at Fenerbahce concluded with an impressive 71.1% win ratio in the league, second only to his remarkable records at Porto (75.9%) and Real Madrid (76.3%). However, after finishing second to Galatasaray, he was ultimately dismissed following Fenerbahce’s Champions League play-off elimination—ironically, at the hands of Benfica.
Oca argues that, Benfica needs a new coach, needs a different approach, needs a strong figure on the bench. The majority of Benfica fans think Mourinho is a good choice.
He does however offer a key caveat, The problem is the timing. It is a very tricky situation. We don’t know about the future. It is a very risky move for Rui Costa but also for Mourinho.
Costa vehemently insists that Mourinho’s appointment is purely a sporting decision, devoid of any political motivations intended to aid his re-election campaign. I’ve never put my interests ahead of Benfica’s, and I’m not going to do so now, he declared. Nevertheless, recent polls indicate a tightly contested race, with Costa currently positioned in second place among six candidates.
Ingles highlights the potential pitfalls, saying: The other candidates are saying that this is not OK. If there is a new president, which is very likely, it will be a hard situation for both – Mourinho has a new president, and the new president is stuck with an expensive manager.”
He adds, There are a lot of doubts, this feeling that Rui Costa is doing this as a Hail Mary for his re-election, because in four years he has only one championship, and it’s not good that you sack your manager at the beginning of the season.”
Despite the complex political backdrop, there’s an undeniable surge of excitement surrounding Mourinho’s return. If you said to me or to any Benfica fan that Mourinho would be coming five or 10 years ago, we would be ecstatic, we would be so thrilled, says Ingles.
Without a doubt, he’s the best Portuguese manager of all time, and he was one of the best managers in the world, but I’m talking about the past, so there will be a few doubts if he’s still the great Mourinho that he once was.
He concludes, Journalists are ecstatic in Portugal that he is coming back. Of course, there will be a lot of attention and a lot of curiosity to see if he can still make a statement in Portuguese football, which I think he can.
Ultimately, Benfica boasts a squad brimming with talent, and should Mourinho fail to deliver the coveted title, it will undoubtedly be considered a failure. The pressure is immense, not only on Mourinho, but also on Benfica as they embark on this potentially transformative partnership. Will it be a triumphant return to glory, a rekindling of past brilliance, and the establishment of a lasting legacy thanks to Mourinho’s Benfica? Or will it be a risky gamble that ultimately backfires, leaving both parties disillusioned and empty-handed? Only time will definitively reveal the answer to this perplexing question and will definitively decide the lasting impact of Mourinho’s Benfica.
