Mourinho on referee strikes, Rui Borges and Benfica v Sporting | OneFootball

José Mourinho spoke with journalists at a press conference ahead of the Benfica - Sporting match, part of the 13th round of Liga Portugal Betclic. The Benfica coach did not want to reveal his tactical decisions, but he spoke about the referee strike and Rui Borges' comments. Check below everything the Eagles' helmsman said.

What kind of Benfica can the fans expect tomorrow?

"[laughs] A Benfica that wants to win, that respects its opponent as it respects all. But a Benfica that wants to win."

Benfica is compared to a Ferrari by the fans. In that sense, considering the recent good performances, is the engine starting to rev up?

"Now I drive a BMW that Benfica gave me... I should advertise BMW and not Ferrari. True to my reputation for being stingy, the Ferrari was offered to me. I would never buy it. We won the last three games, yes, the first of which was against a lower division team. I think we played a well-achieved game at Ajax according to our goals for that game, according to our characteristics and limitations. And in the last one, against Nacional, I'm sure that if it had been another Portuguese team playing the way we did, dominating as we did, creating as we did, they would have received absolutely fantastic comments, speaking of an overwhelming level, quality of play, super record, shots. I think we played a very well-achieved game with a team that obviously created difficulties for us because it was a team that defended so much and well. Three consecutive victories are positive, it's good, but it doesn't make me or any of us lose control, tranquility, or humility, which is starting to be a characteristic of our team. It's a team that works as a team, celebrates as a team, suffers as a team, and that's an important step."

Yesterday marked 25 years since Mourinho's first derby, which you celebrated enthusiastically. Since then, you've probably played hundreds of derbies in various countries. But a derby is always a derby. How do you experience these days?

"Normal. I won't sleep worse tonight than on a night before a non-derby, I wasn't more detailed in the work because it's a derby or a non-derby. What we had this week was the possibility of having more work time because we usually play and have a game two or three days later. In this case, after Nacional, there was more time. Otherwise, with greater tranquility. I've played countless derbies in all countries, but I don't think that's either positive or negative. It's not negative because it doesn't take away my desire to play a new derby, it's not negative because it takes away some of the emotion you need to play these games, and positive in the sense of déjà vu and being very difficult for something to happen that has never happened in your career. But normal..."

Benfica plays at home and, in theory, has an advantage at Luz. But Benfica has already lost six points playing at home. Do you consider there to be a debt to the fans?

"There is always a debt. Especially when, sometimes, it may seem that the team's attitude is not consistent with the love of millions of Benfica fans. In that sense, yes. In terms of losing a game, losing points, not playing the game that the fans might be expecting, I don't think it's a matter of debt. The responsibility that the players have is fundamentally to honor their profession and then to honor Benfica. And that means an untouchable attitude in any game. Sometimes, I as a coach, and the fans as fans, may have some wrong perception and think 'this attitude wasn't the best.' But sometimes there are constraints. The group is good, it's a group of good people, which doesn't create a single problem in managing it. A friendly group, a good group. And in that sense, I think they have absolutely no debt. They give what they can give, and obviously with the growth of the team and some individuals, they will move in a direction where there will be more empathy with the fans and less, in quotes, the debt you mentioned. But I can't look at it that way."

Are you worried about the fact that referees might go on strike?

"If they do, I'm convinced that there are many referees in Europe who would like to come and referee the Portuguese championship. I think it's something that happens a lot. Not so much in European countries, but sometimes still. Nowadays, referees are professionals and, I wouldn't say all - because some referee in championships of another dimension -, but the best would be happy to come and referee in Portugal. If it ever happens that referees make that decision, I don't think it would be a big problem because I think the championship would continue and the League would easily find solutions."

What kind of Sporting do you expect tomorrow? Similar to what we usually see, or more on the defensive?

"I have no idea. Sporting will play as Rui Borges wants them to play, as Rui prepared his team this week. I have no idea. Obviously, we will also prepare for 'this or that,' but the most important thing is how we want to play, what we prepared for ourselves, for our identity. But as we do with all teams, we study as much as we can. The door of unpredictability is always open, which is what the opposing coach and players can bring into the game. But honestly, we prepare more for ourselves than thinking about the opponent, which as we know is very strong."

Do the players know what it's like to play a derby in Portugal?

"The players also grow with experiences. When I said that there are players who arrive at a club and then leave and still haven't quite understood where they were, I refer to a certain profile. Because there are others who, due to their own profile, live a little isolated from the contexts, don't feel much responsibility, the dimension, historically don't know the meaning of a certain type of games. I refer a bit more to the profile than to the player who just arrived and doesn't understand. There are some who arrive and immediately understand where they are, even the newcomers have already played against Sporting. They understand the profile of the championship in Portugal and the teams that traditionally play for the top spots. I don't think that's a problem."

What was identified in Sporting that might require a special tactical response?

"I don't want to answer... The question is good, but the answer is not good to give you, because it would be exactly the same as saying 'Henrique, come see the training sessions and you'll understand what we did and the things that concern us or that we can try to exploit.' I don't like to say weakness, because a team of Sporting's dimension doesn't have a weakness. There might simply be some things we can exploit. But basically, it's a bit like that."

Rui Borges expressed his admiration for you and has already said that José Mourinho was a reference. What do you think you can teach him tomorrow? And if you had to give him advice, what would it be?

"I have nothing to teach... I appreciate Rui's words, but I already know you're going to label me as lacking humility. It's normal for these coaches of the generation after mine to have admiration for someone who did what he did and opened the door to thinking about the coach in a certain way. Obviously, I appreciate Rui's words because he could have not said it, and he did. I have to thank him. I think he has nothing to learn from me in the derby. He's a coach with experience, with capacity, national champion. He knows very well what he wants for his team and had, in my opinion, a great merit: the transformation of Ruben Amorim's Sporting into 'his' Sporting. He was objective, courageous, knew exactly what he wanted, ignored many criticisms, and is doing an extraordinary job. I have the utmost respect for him and, in the same way he said he respects me as he does all others, I make his words mine. I respect him and any coach we face in Portugal."

Ríos is back. Are you prepared to use an 11 with five midfielders or will you keep a player more on the wing?

"The question is good, but I won't answer. I didn't see it, but Gonçalo passed me Rui's statements at the conference and he doesn't say 'Morita plays, Simões plays.' He doesn't say if Ioannidis will recover or not, doesn't say if Debast plays or not. He says nothing. The only thing I can say is that Rui says he still has to talk to the pillow and I don't. Everything is already discussed. I know who will play. We trained today exactly based on who will play, the players know. There are no doubts. But I won't answer you."

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