Di María controversy at Benfica? He deserved a better send-off | OneFootball

Bruno Lage denies any conflict with Ángel Di María following José Mourinho's appointment by the Eagles. In an interview with the newspaper A Bola - where the departure from the Eagles was the main topic -, the coach praised the Argentine winger, stating that he deserved a different farewell.

“We had a very good relationship. Just watch the documentary that Netflix made about Di María to see the importance that mister Mourinho had in his life, both personally and professionally. He must have been the most important coach for Di María. It's natural that he is happy to have him now at Benfica,” Bruno Lage began.

“I remember when we arrived at Benfica, many people said that Di María was a problem. He never was with me. He had fantastic games, but there were moments when I had to make decisions for the team's sake that Di María might not have liked. Who likes to be left out? I made the decisions I had to make,” Bruno Lage added.

“I think he didn't deserve to say goodbye to Benfica as a substitute at Jamor. I think players like Di María deserved a different kind of farewell, at Estádio da Luz, with more than 60,000 applauding what he offered to Benfica, both in the first and second stints. But it's fair to say that this wasn't possible due to scheduling issues,” Bruno Lage concluded.

Wearing the Benfica jersey, Ángel Di María played 217 matches, scored 51 goals, and made 47 assists. The former Argentine international won four trophies with the Sacred Mantle: one National Championship (2009/10), one Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira (2023), and three League Cups (2008/09, 2009/10, and 2024/25).

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