Did Ruben Amorim bluff Benfica before joining Milan? “He was clear” | OneFootball

Ruben Amorim became linked with Benfica again after taking charge of Milan. Rivals this Wednesday, the Portuguese coach has a long-standing connection with the Eagles, a club he represented as a player and for which he has never hidden his affection. Even so, when Rui Costa offered him the chance to take over the team, Amorim reportedly turned it down, saying he intended to take a sabbatical year.

The decision ended up sparking some debate when the coach appeared, shortly afterwards, linked with Milan. Some questioned whether the intention to take a season off had simply been a strategy to keep Benfica away. For Vítor Almeida Gonçalves, however, there are no reasons to doubt the coach’s word.

“I don’t think he’s bluffing. On the few occasions he spoke about the matter, he was very clear, and we have no subjective reasons to doubt him. It was not part of his career plan to return to Portugal. He was always very clear about that,” he explained.

The journalist also believes that the circumstances would not have been the most suitable for an immediate return to Portuguese football: “If you ask me whether it would make sense to come back, I also think not. Given the context, it doesn’t seem to me that it was the right time for that to happen,” he added.

The change in circumstances came when the chance to take over Milan arose, an opportunity that, in Vítor Almeida Gonçalves’s view, would naturally have been difficult to ignore: “I think he was willing to take that sabbatical year. Now, when an offer comes from a team like Milan, I understand why you would think twice,” he said.

Even so, the journalist believes that a reunion between Amorim and Benfica is only a matter of time: “I have no doubt that he was not planning to return to Benfica now, but I believe he will be Benfica’s coach one day,” he concluded.

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