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'Fans prefer Guardiola and Klopp' - Mourinho facing uphill battle to win over Benfica faithful
Martin Macdonald
- 29 Sept 2025 15:00 BST
- 3 min read
News
Jose Mourinho has been told that he faces a battle to win over the majority of Benfica fans.
Following his dismissal by Fenerbahce, Mourinho quickly returned to management with the Portuguese giants, who fired Bruno Lage after a disappointing loss against Qarabag in Matchday One of the Champions League.
The 62-year-old actually started his management career with Benfica but was only there for a short spell.
Over his career, Mourinho has managed some of the biggest clubs in the world including Chelsea, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Inter, though his stock has fallen in recent years.
As fate would have it, his first match in charge of Benfica will be against former club Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, while his second will be against former club Porto next weekend.
The Mail reports, via a Benfica source, that he was certainly not the first choice for the fans of the capital club, who would have preferred someone of the calibre of Pep Guardiola or Jurgen Klopp, while he must also deal with the baggage of having successfully managed rivals Porto years ago,
"Mourinho is a popular coach but not every Benfica supporter loves him yet because Portuguese football fans are educated," the source said.
"If you ask the 10 million people in Portugal, they will prefer managers like Pep Guardiola and Klopp but the respect is there for Mourinho because of his achievements and for his character. For Benfica supporters, Mourinho represents a new illusion, a new dream.
"People didn’t like Bruno Lage - he wasn’t charismatic. Mourinho has that but if Benfica lose both games this week, then he will already be in bad sh*t. In Benfica, people change easily. It’s not an easy place to be."
No unfinished business for Mourinho at Benfica
Mourinho left Benfica after just 11 games in charge after a falling out with the club hierarchy. It is the short spell that has led the manager to shoot down suggestions he has unfinished business in Lisbon.
"Unfinished business? I didn’t even start the business," he told the Mail.
"I was here for three months. It wasn’t even the beginning of the business but it’s true that now I feel more and more focused on the others. Who are the others? The supporters, the board, the players.
"I think more about them than about myself and it’s a good feeling."
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