José Mourinho avoided the eyes of the world’s media during Benfica’s Champions League elimination at the hands of Real Madrid on Wednesday night, reportedly watching the match from the team bus after tricking assembled journalists on a “surreal” night.
Mourinho was shown a red card during the first leg of the knockout playoff tie last week, a bad-tempered reaction in the aftermath of Vinicius Junior’s stunning goal and the alleged racist abuse from one his Benfica players that followed the Brazilian’s complaint to the referee.
That meant a suspension from the touchline in the return leg in Madrid, which was supposed to be his first match back at the Bernabéu in 4,652 days—since stepping down as Los Blancos manager in 2013.
Mourinho was not allowed to view the match from the bench or anywhere close to the technical area. Instead, MARCA reported a booth in the media zone eight floors up was reserved for the Benfica boss, just along from where Benfica’s official radio station was setting up.
His expected presence caused an unsurprising clamor among journalists keen to snap a picture to show the rest of the world—UEFA officials are thought to have then asked that Mourinho not be filmed. But the 63-year-old Portuguese never showed up, long after the match started and goals started to go in.
It was revealed instead that he stayed on Benfica’s team bus the whole time.
This was at least far less duplicitous than when Mourinho infamously hid in a laundry basket to avoided being detected by UEFA officials when he was banned from entering the stadium for a 2005 Champions League quarterfinal first leg between Chelsea and Bayern Munich.
Mourinho’s Reputation Damaged—What Next?
Mourinho has damaged his reputation over the Vinicius Jr incident, suggesting that the Brazilian incited the situation that came his way and dragging in the name of the late, revered Benfica legend Eusébio as a disappointing defense for Gianluca Prestianni that lacked any logic.
Mourinho was not prepared to let his player take the heat. But in the aftermath of an alleged despicable act it was a poor read of the room, especially when Luisão, another Benfica legend, described himself as “ashamed” by Prestianni’s behavior.
The former Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester United manager, who was once the toast of Europe but now has only the UEFA Conference League trophy to show for the last nine years, was accused by a Benfica fan of not respecting the allegation made.
“The reaction after was too much,” the supporter, Ricardo Silva, told The Athletic.
“He is a legend of Portuguese football but I don’t like the idea of people thinking he represents me. I’ll be a [Benfica] fan for many years but he will be here a short time and has disrespected the name of Benfica and of Eusébio.”
Champions League
Whether Mourinho lasts that long remains to be seen, as does where he might land next. No longer considered for the elite club jobs and increasingly forced to take more challenging roles on the lower rungs of the ladder, it has long been though he might turn to international soccer.
The Portugal job will come up after the World Cup, with Roberto Martínez leaving, and Mourinho is tipped to get it. It seemed like a fairly safe bet a matter of days ago, but only time will tell if he has hurt his chance by the events of the last week.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘Surreal’—Where Jose Mourinho Watched Real Madrid vs. Benfica While Serving Ban.
