Jose Mourinho criticised Fenerbahce after his recent sacking, calling the move a mistake. He praised Benficaโs squad and said coaching them matches his level, marking a fresh start after a turbulent spell in Turkey.
Jose Mourinho has wasted little time making headlines after taking over as Benfica manager, launching a scathing assessment of his brief stint at Turkish side Fenerbahce. The Portuguese coach, sacked last month following Fenerbahceโs Champions League exit at the hands of Benfica, pulled no punches when reflecting on his departure and the challenges he faced during his time in Istanbul.
Speaking to Portuguese outlet A Bola, Mourinho described his decision to join the Super Lig side as a mistake, admitting it did not align with his footballing standards or personal expectations. Adding to that, the โSpecial Oneโ, as he is popularly known, stated that coaching Benfica is returning to his level.
โMy career so far has been rich. I’ve coached the biggest clubs in the world, in different countries. I made a mistake going to Fenerbahรงe. It wasn’t my cultural level, it wasn’t my football level, it wasn’t my level. Obviously, I gave everything until the last day. Obviously, I had to mourn, like Bruno [Lage] is doing now, because nobody likes to leave, but coaching Benfica is returning to my level, and my level is coaching the biggest clubs in the world,โ Mourinho said.
Mourinho praises Benficaโs squad depth
Despite the controversy, Mourinho praised Benficaโs current squad and recent transfer activity, hinting that he now feels back where he belongs.
โI praised Benfica’s squad and will do so again. If you ask me if I tried to play with words and emotions, to take the pressure off my team and apply that pressure, obviously, I did. But I don’t take back a word of what I said at the time, that Benfica had done a great job in the transfer market, endowing the team with potential that, perhaps, it lacked last season. As I said yesterday, I’m better, but I’m not exactly a great example of fair play,โ Mourinho said.