José Mourinho ends Real Madrid contact talk before Benfica – Braga
José Mourinho drew a firm line before benfica – braga: he said he has had no contact with Real Madrid, and none will happen until Benfica’s last league match against Estoril. The Benfica coach said the timing leaves him with a one-week window after that final match to speak with whoever he wants.
Mourinho and Real Madrid
"Não tive nenhum contacto, nem com o presidente [Florentino Pérez], nem com nenhuma das pessoas importantes na estrutura." Mourinho also said, "Eu não tive nenhum contacto com o Real Madrid, não tive, e até ao último jogo do campeonato contra o Estoril também não vou ter." Those comments set the frame around a coaching speculation that has followed him into Benfica’s closing run.
Benfica’s last home match of the season comes against SC Braga, and Mourinho made the stakes plain. "Amanhã não temos de simular estados de alma porque é objetivo: temos de ganhar, não temos outra solução."
Benfica’s Braga absences
Benfica will go into the game with two absences. Nicolás Otamendi will miss out, and Richard Ríos will also be unavailable. Mourinho said Tomás Araújo trained without limitation on Friday and Saturday, and that both he and António Silva will play.
That leaves Benfica with a cleaner defensive picture than it might have had earlier in the week. Gonçalo Oliveira did not play for Benfica B against Académico de Viseu on Thursday so he could be available on the bench the next day, and Mourinho used that decision while discussing the options at the back.
Famalicão and Braga
Mourinho also pointed back to the draw at Famalicão, where Benfica played 60 minutes with what he called fantastic quality and lost two points because of other factors that entered the game. He said the performance there was right in terms of mentality, but the points still slipped away.
That is why he called the Braga match decisive. Mourinho said SC Braga had its match moved to Monday by regulation and fairness, but Benfica’s task did not change: win the last home match of the season, then move on to the last league match against Estoril with the season still open in front of them.
