José Mourinho on Porto v Benfica: I didn’t feel able to offer more up front | OneFootball

José Mourinho revealed that he did not feel comfortable taking more risks in the Porto - Benfica match, the classic of the eighth round of Liga Portugal Betclic, which ended in a goalless draw. The Benfica coach spoke to Sporttv microphones in the usual flash interview and explained the events of the match.

"Our situation was complicated. We couldn’t afford to be seven points behind. We wanted to leave here just one point behind. But as I told the players, even I didn’t feel in a position to take risks to win, and they themselves on the pitch also felt that the game was under control, and that we couldn’t lose," José Mourinho began by explaining.

The Benfica coach continued: "They could afford to lose, they’re coming off a fantastic run, while we’re in a more complicated situation, so it was crucial not to lose. Sporting also drew, which means that this weekend, we ended up not losing any ground to our rivals. And we’re still here, alive."

José Mourinho then explained the difficulty in finding more offensive solutions: "A team that understood everything. That, due to individual characteristics... We don’t have very fast or direct players up front. But from an organizational point of view, the players were fantastic, against a tough team, in a tough stadium."

"We came with great personality, calmness... Trubin didn’t have to make a save, Mora had a shot that hit the crossbar, and nothing else, from a team that has won everything and today had a lot of difficulties," concluded the Benfica coach after the match with Porto.

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