Twenty-five years after his first experience on the Benfica bench, Jose Mourinho has returned to his hometown to manage the Lisbon club again.
After being fired by Fenerbahce at the end of August, coming after the Champions League defeat against Benfica, the Special One was quickly identified as the ideal successor to Bruno Lage, who was fired after the surprise 3-2 defeat against Qarabag.
The move has not been without controversy. Ali Koç, the president of Fenerbahçe, has joked about what he called a “strange coincidence.” According to him, Mourinho would have predicted Benfica’s crisis and planned the return, implying that behind the scenes there was an agreement with former sporting director Mario Branco.
Mourinho has firmly denied these allegations.
Interviewed by the Portuguese daily A Bola, the coach from Setubal explained that he has never plotted anything against anyone and that he "always turns the page" once he concludes an experience, adding that he did not hesitate for a moment to accept Benfica's call when the opportunity presented itself.
The former Inter and Roma coach, according to the accusations made against him by Turkey, would have to have an extraordinary and highly developed ability to predict.
The agreement between the 62-year-old coach and the Le Aguias club was made official on Wednesday evening: Mourinho took charge of the team on Thursday afternoon, signing a contract valid until the summer of 2027.
With an international track record that extends from successes in the Premier League and Serie A to victories in the Champions League and Europa League, the coach from Setubal now aims to return Benfica to the top of Portuguese and European football.
This return to his homeland represents not only a symbolic moment in his career, but also the opportunity to write a glorious new chapter for the Lisbon Eagles.