The intrigue is set in Lisbon. José Mourinho, current coach of Benfica, appeared before the media ahead of the first leg of the Champions League playoff. The Portuguese coach, true to his direct style, analyzed the match against his former team with a mix of respect and warning.
Mourinho was blunt in assessing the form of the white team after the latest European results, especially after their 4-2 victory a few weeks ago at the Estadio da Luz.
"We know what we did to the king of the Champions, he's wounded", stated the Portuguese. However, far from showing overconfidence, he warned that "a wounded king is even more dangerous" in an event of this caliber.
Madrid, the favorite of this competition
During the press conference, the coach shared an anecdote about the respect the Madrid crest commands in the Portuguese locker room. He recounted that, after the last match, he showed his players the 15 European Cups embroidered on the sleeve of a swapped jersey to remind them of the magnitude of the opponent they are facing.
For the Benfica coach, the weight of history is not the only factor to consider tomorrow at the Estadio da Luz. "They are the kings. It's not just history; we are going to play against the favorites of this competition", he stated, placing all the pressure of the tie on the Chamartín team.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.