Benfica: José Mourinho is already making headlines! (Video)

Europe 22 September 2025 at 12:50

Mahdi Zakaria LAZRI

News Editor

Back in Portugal after a turbulent exit from Fenerbahçe, José Mourinho wasted no time settling onto the Benfica bench. For his official debut, the Portuguese tactician watched his team cruise to a commanding 3-0 victory over AVS—a convincing win that sets the tone for this new chapter on a high note. But beyond the scoreline, it was the intensity and symbolism of his pre-match locker room speech that went viral across social media and local outlets, once again reminding everyone that Mourinho remains a master of the media spectacle as much as he is a pragmatic coach.

A deliberately raw speech to spark a reaction

Mourinho’s return to Benfica is part of an unconventional career path: from European glory with Porto to more mixed recent stints (AS Roma, Fenerbahçe), the Special One is back home, hungry to write a new chapter in his story. On the pitch, the win over AVS offers an encouraging first glimpse (organization, defensive discipline, attacking efficiency), but it’s his words—direct and deliberately provocative—that really stood out. In behind-the-scenes footage released by the club, he fired up his players with: “What’s beautiful is winning at Benfica. Playing at Benfica is f*** intense. Losing at Benfica is f***ing crap. Winning with Benfica is beautiful as hell. We’ve talked enough, now let’s go, now it’s on the pitch, and we’re going to destroy them.”

Far from trivial, this kind of intervention reflects a management style based on emotional intensity and pressure, designed to instill a sense of urgency and belonging. The real test will be how this rhetoric holds up over time: Benfica expects consistent results and a clear footballing identity. The foundation has been laid, but for Mourinho—and for the club—the real work begins now.