Mourinho Expresses Frustration Following Benfica’s Semifinal Defeat to Braga

Benfica’s coach, Jose Mourinho, voiced his frustration following the team’s unexpected 3-1 defeat to Braga in the Portuguese Allianz Cup semifinal on Wednesday. The team found themselves trailing 2-0 at halftime, ultimately leading to their elimination in Leiria.

In the post-match news conference, Mourinho mentioned that the players would be staying at the club’s training facility in Seixal for the next few days to reflect on their performance. “We thought we would be playing in the final, but instead, we are not going home; we are going to Seixal,” he stated.

He added, “The players will sleep in Seixal, and we have training scheduled for tomorrow and the day after. However, since there is no game on Saturday, our next challenge will be against FC Porto next Wednesday in the Portuguese Cup quarterfinal. When we arrive in Seixal, everyone will head to their rooms. I hope the players sleep as well as I do—meaning, I hope they don’t sleep at all. I want them to reflect deeply, just as I will.”

Despite Benfica’s strong aspirations to lift the trophy, the team was caught off guard, especially after Sporting CP’s defeat to Vitoria Guimaraes in the other semifinal on Tuesday.

Mourinho, who took over as Benfica’s manager in September, expressed his disappointment regarding the lack of communication among players. “Tomorrow, we can begin discussing matters, which is not what occurred in the locker room,” he remarked.

“In the locker room, it was a monologue, and monologues do not work for me; I prefer a dialogue with my players. We will discuss the differences between the first and second halves and prepare in the best way possible for the game against FC Porto.”

Currently, Benfica sits third in the Primeira Liga, trailing leaders Porto by 10 points.