Mourinho throws in the towel and tears into Benfica squad: Some... | OneFootball

did not hold back in criticizing the squad after the most recent draw against Casa Pia (1-1). In the aftermath of the match, in the flash interview given to Sport TV, the Benfica coach threw in the towel, admitting that the Eagles are out of the race and pointing out that several players were not up to the occasion.

"More than the move [that led to Casa Pia’s equalizer], I would say even more than what I already said. You say we lost two points, I would say we lost the last chances we had to fight for the title and stopped depending on ourselves to finish in 2nd place. I didn’t like the first half. At half-time, we talked about what we had to change tactically, and I tried to make them understand, because there are some who seem like they don’t eat football and forget reality, so I did a little bit of math for them. By not winning this game, the fight for the title was over, but if we won, the fight for 2nd place would go on, which was what was at stake here. I’d risk saying we had 75-80% possession, something absurd, and then after going 1-0 up, there is carelessness, there is no energy, there is no hunger from those who are playing for so much. Because to finish in 3rd place I think we could even lose all the games. For a team that was playing for everything, we cannot be careless. Against this type of team, who say they want to win but they don’t, they want to draw... I condemn the referee, the female VAR official who gives 6 minutes. I am deeply disappointed. I didn’t like any of the three teams. But, I repeat, Casa Pia was hungry for this point and fought as best they could for it. The referee influences the game, but the result as well. Benfica were very poor in terms of attitude in the first half. Then the game, and the league, ends, so to speak, with a careless situation that cannot happen".

The "external factors" that had an influence on the league:

"I think there are many factors. I won’t forget, only when the season ends, when you start thinking about the next one. Even without fighting for the title, there are many factors that influenced this league and external factors that had a huge impact on this league and will continue to have one. As far as we’re concerned, without ever having the sadness of defeat, we have many draws with the sadness of defeat. This one, Rio Ave, at Tondela, in Braga, with external influences... there are no arrogant, disrespectful people there, don’t get me wrong. But there are types of people who, regardless of their bank account, their titles, are hungry, and people who live this life lightly, and that saddens me because I can’t. I’ve been a coach for more than 20 years and I can’t change the way I am and the way I approach things, and then there are players who, I repeat, are not bad professionals, but they lack that".

The criticism from the fans, who asked the players to play "the Benfica way":

"I think there was ambition in the second half, against a team that defended the way it did, that threw themselves to the ground and with the referee allowing it. But then there is a move where you have to intervene seriously and effectively. The fans are frustrated, but surely not more than I am, than the people who live this with passion and with professional passion as well",

Thus, the Club from Luz, faced with Porto dropping points, missed a golden opportunity to close the gap to their rival. After 28 rounds of the Liga Portugal Betclic, Benfica sit in third place with 66 points, two points behind Sporting (68 - with a game in hand) and seven points behind the Dragons (73).

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