Details emerge about Benfica’s night after José Mourinho’s drastic move | OneFootball

The Benfica Campus was the scene of an unusual night following the elimination from the Allianz Cup. For the first time since the arrival of José Mourinho, the team spent the night at the Seixal training center, adhering to a prior warning that the moment required maximum introspection. Despite the atmosphere of protest at Luz, where offensive banners appeared, the environment inside the gates was one of silence and reflection, without the need for increased security, but with a heavy conscience due to the defeat against Braga (1-3).

On the morning of Thursday, January 8, a conversation took place between the coach and the players. Mourinho, still frustrated that the team had not learned the lesson from the recent draw in Minho, did not hold back his words. The coach was particularly irritated with the lack of aggressiveness shown in the first half in Leiria, as he had already mentioned yesterday in the post-match quick interview zone. According to information gathered by the newspaper Record, the team accepted both the public and internal criticism well, as the disappointment with the result is shared by everyone.

Mourinho expected a strong response after the warnings given days before, but saw his strategy betrayed by the lack of competitive intensity. After training, the players left Seixal around lunchtime, with orders to recharge their energies with their families.

One of the last to leave the Campus was Nicolás Otamendi, the most visible face of the team's desolation. The captain, besides the sadness of elimination, bears the burden of the expulsion that removes him from the Classic at Dragão. However, the role of the Argentine international has been crucial in the locker room; Otamendi has been the active voice in conveying a clear message: giving up is forbidden and the response must be given, without fail, against Porto.

With the League Cup chapter closed under a 'full house' regime at Seixal, Benfica now tries to recover physically and mentally. The immediate goal is to transform the accumulated frustration into a victory in the Portuguese Cup against Porto, on the 14th, at 20:45. The triumph would secure a place in the semi-finals of the Queen's Competition.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.