José Mourinho, the head coach of Benfica, stated on Sunday that he has not had any communication with Real Madrid and will not engage in talks until the conclusion of the Portuguese league season. Speaking ahead of Monday’s match against SC Braga in the 33rd round of the Liga Portugal, Mourinho dismissed speculation regarding a potential return to the Spanish club.
Regarding the upcoming fixture, Mourinho emphasized that his team has the right mentality, treating it as one of two finals. He noted the significance of playing the last home game and discussed the scheduling, pointing out that Braga’s Europa League participation justified the postponement to Monday, giving them an extra day of rest. “Everyone knows the difficulty of playing on the third day,” he said, adding that Braga would be highly motivated to secure fourth place.
When asked about sporting fairness, Mourinho referenced Benfica B’s recent match against Académico, suggesting that analyzing that game would clarify many underlying issues.
Addressing reports about his alleged demands and meetings with Real Madrid, Mourinho replied, “I don’t know what is being said about my requirements, so I cannot respond. But I want to make one thing clear: in football, it is not the professionals who decide whether to leave or stay. It is the clubs that show interest and initiate contact. I have had no contact with Real Madrid, not with the president nor with key figures in the structure. And by my own choice, especially now in this final phase, I am not speaking to anyone. I will not have any contact until the last league match. After that, I will have a week where I am free to talk to whoever I deem appropriate. All the stories about demands, meetings, and speculation are completely false.”
On the absence of captain Nicolás Otamendi, Mourinho acknowledged it as a significant loss, along with that of Richard Ríos. He confirmed that Tomás Araújo will step in. “Tomás is fine, he trained without limitations on Friday and Saturday. We have no fear; the feelings are good. He will play alongside António Silva. Gonçalo Oliveira was rested in the B team match to be available on the bench for us.”
With no margin for error, Mourinho stressed the necessity of winning. “We cannot pretend. It is objective: we have to win. In Famalicão, we had the right attitude for 60 fantastic minutes, but then other factors led to a draw. The work week has been long but good. We have important absences, but players are waiting for their chance and will respond well. The stadium atmosphere will be key, and we go there with everything we have, aiming to reach the last match still depending on ourselves.”