Mourinho back at Benfica 25 years on - revered but a risk?

It's a agelong clip since Jose Mourinho took to nan dugout arsenic head of Benfica. A 4th of a century, successful fact. In that clip he clambered to nan very apical of nan footballing character and collapsed a fewer branches connected his measurement backmost to nan reddish broadside of Lisbon.

A sparkling 25 years person seen nan self-proclaimed 'Special One' cod 2 Champions Leagues, a Uefa Cup, Europa League, Conference League, 8 convention titles and galore different silverware successful a profession that has spanned 10 clubs.

He is still revered successful Portugal among nan procreation of fans who retrieve him starring Porto to European glory, winning nan treble pinch Inter and managing immoderate of nan world's biggest sides successful Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester United.

Despite his past convention title coming a decade ago, location is immense hype astir nan 62-year-old's return.

Outside nan caller Estadio da Luz, yet to beryllium built erstwhile Mourinho past coached Benfica, location was a thrum of media activity and excitement as news collapsed of nan seasoned boss' return.

"We are missing those kinds of iconic coaches present successful Portugal," explains CNN journalist Joao Pedro Oca, speaking betwixt unrecorded hourly broadcasts extracurricular nan stadium. "His bequest is awesome here, chiefly because of what he did successful Porto.

"[But] Mourinho was linked to Benfica for a batch of years. This is thing everyone expected, nan return of Mourinho to Portugal and to Benfica and [eventually] to nan nationalist team. It was a mobility of time."

But location is besides a emotion this assignment is simply a consequence - not only for Benfica but Mourinho, too, pinch Benfica's statesmanlike elections opening connected 25 October.

"He is simply a cherished fig successful Portugal, 1 that almost transcends nine rivalries," explains Expresso journalist Diogo Pombo. "But highest Mourinho is agelong gone and group are alert of his conflictual style from nan past fewer years.

"But he has a communicative successful Benfica and that useful successful his favour - erstwhile he near nan club, he was loved by nan fans contempt only managing nan squad for 11 games and what he near was a sensation of injustice, of a chaotic nine wasting nan opportunity to turn pinch specified an eager coach."

Manuel Vilarinho, Benfica president astatine nan time, later said he rued nan determination not to renew Mourinho's statement erstwhile nan fiery young leader - successful his first managerial domiciled - threatened to discontinue because he did not consciousness he had his backing.

Vilarinho had conscionable replaced Joao Vale e Azevedo, nan president who appointed Mourinho a period earlier, 4 weeks into nan play and almost precisely 25 years agone to nan day.

Mourinho - believing Vilarinho wanted a different coach - stuck to his connection by stepping down successful December 2000, having won six of his 11 games successful charge.

"He made specified a large impact," says Benfica FM podcast big Filipe Ingles. "Benfica astatine nan clip was terrible. It was nan worst play successful each of Benfica history.

"We started playing truthful overmuch amended pinch Mourinho and it was already nan Mourinho that we cognize from Porto and from Chelsea. At property conferences, he was already that large figure."

Benfica were successful nan mediate of an 11-year tally without a Portuguese title. They only ended it erstwhile Mourinho near Porto for Chelsea successful 2004, having won nan Champions League.

"Of course, we ever deliberation what could person been if Mourinho had stayed astatine Benfica," adds Ingles. "Maybe Mourinho tin alteration that now - 25 years later."

This time, nan footwear is connected nan different foot. Rui Costa, portion of nan Eagles broadside who won nan convention successful 1994 and a prima for nan nationalist team, is nan president banking connected Mourinho's presence securing him different term.

"The fans mightiness position his assignment arsenic a benignant of national yet fulfilled," adds Pombo. "But nan eve of different predetermination is affecting nan measurement his return is received."

How to Win nan Champions League: Jose Mourinho

Costa said erstwhile he sacked Bruno Lage pursuing a 3-2 conclusion by Qarabag successful nan Champions League connected Tuesday that a "Benfica coach's floor plan must beryllium that of a winner".

Mourinho's past trophy, however, came 3 years ago, winning nan Conference League pinch Roma. Before that, it was nan Europa League pinch Manchester United successful 2017, and his past convention title came astatine Chelsea successful 2015.

He did extremity his tenure astatine Fenerbahce pinch a 71.1% triumph ratio successful nan convention - only bettered by his clip astatine Porto (75.9%) and Real Madrid (76.3%). But, having vanished 2nd down Galatasaray past term, Mourinho was sacked erstwhile Fenerbahce were knocked retired of this season's Champions League play-offs by, of each clubs, Benfica.

"Benfica needs a caller coach, needs a different approach, needs a beardown fig connected nan bench," adds Oca. "The mostly of Benfica fans deliberation Mourinho is simply a bully choice.

"The problem is nan timing. It is simply a very tricky situation. We don't cognize astir nan future. It is simply a very risky move for Rui Costa but besides for Mourinho."

Costa has insisted appointing Mourinho is simply a sporting decision, alternatively than a high-profile move to thief him get re-elected.

"I've ne'er put my interests up of Benfica's, and I'm not going to do truthful now," he said.

According to a canvass connected Portuguese TV connected Wednesday, nan existent president sits 2nd retired of six candidates earlier October's elections - though immoderate propose it is excessively adjacent to telephone betwixt nan apical 3 names.

"The different candidates are saying that this is not OK," explains Ingles. "If location is simply a caller president, which is very likely, it will beryllium a difficult business for some - Mourinho has a caller president and nan caller president is stuck pinch an costly manager.

"There are a batch of doubts, this emotion that Rui Costa is doing this arsenic a Hail Mary for his re-election, because successful 4 years he has only 1 title and it's not bully that you sack your head astatine nan opening of nan season."

Beyond nan governmental statement astir Mourinho's arrival, location is of people immense intrigue and expectation.

"If you said to maine aliases to immoderate Benfica instrumentality that Mourinho would beryllium coming 5 aliases 10 years ago, we would beryllium ecstatic, we would beryllium truthful thrilled," says Ingles.

"Without a doubt, he's nan champion Portuguese head of each clip and he was 1 of nan champion managers successful nan world, but I'm talking astir nan past, truthful location will beryllium a fewer doubts if he's still nan awesome Mourinho that he erstwhile was.

"Journalists are ecstatic successful Portugal that he is coming back. Of course, location will beryllium a batch of attraction and a batch of curiosity to spot if he tin still make a connection successful Portuguese football, which I deliberation he can.

"Benfica has very bully players and if Mourinho doesn't triumph nan title, it will beryllium considered a failure."