A jubilant Jose Mourinho admitted he felt a flicker of guilt after celebrating wildly against his former club, but insisted Benfica’s seismic 4-2 victory over Real Madrid was fully deserved as it fired the Portuguese giants into the Champions League play off round.
The 63 year old masterminded a tactical upset in Lisbon, outfoxing his former pupil Alvaro Arbeloa to secure a result he hailed as a monumental moment for Benfica’s prestige. “I think it is very deserved,” Mourinho stated post match, as per Diario AS. “For Benfica it is an incredible prestige to beat Real Madrid. They haven’t played against them since the fantastic years… this, for the prestige of Benfica and the players, is fantastic.”
Mourinho’s emotional reaction to the 98th minute sealer, a frantic celebration in his technical area drew attention, but he revealed Arbeloa had immediately put him at ease. “I have celebrated. But Álvaro is a football man and he has understood that at that moment you forget that he is on the bench, that your people are there. You forget everything. And he told me not to worry.”
The win sets up a potential blockbuster playoff tie against either Real Madrid again or Inter Milan, another of his former clubs. Mourinho welcomed the prospect. “I like to go to Madrid and I like to go to Milan. Seeing friends is always a pleasure.”
He was brutally honest about the gulf in expectation, however. “Real Madrid and Inter are among the great candidates. We are not, but we compete.” Reflecting on his side’s journey, he added: “We lost to Chelsea but we competed. We lost to Juve, but we competed. We beat Real Madrid… It’s more difficult to win across two matches than one, but football is football. We are building a team.”
For Mourinho, it was a night that perfectly blended personal history with professional pride. For a Benfica side still rebuilding, it was a statement victory crafted by the master of the occasion. The Special One, it seems, still has the magic touch when it matters most.
