Benfica’s Champions League rival praises José Mourinho: rejuvenated | OneFootball

Leonardo Spinazzola considered Benfica's victory over Napoli fair, and praised José Mourinho, a coach he has crossed paths with during his career. The Italian full-back recently faced the Eagles in the Champions League and analyzed the defeat against the Club of Light.

"In Lisbon, from the first minute, it was clear they had a different energy", began the experienced Italian full-back. Benfica, it should be recalled, defeated Napoli 2-0, a result that allows the Eagles to dream of qualifying in the Champions League.

The Napoli player continued, revealing more details that contributed to the Italian team's defeat at Estádio da Luz: "They got to the second balls first, won more duels, and we saw that also when analyzing the game video: there was a bit of sparkle missing".

Leonardo Spinazzola then spoke about the Benfica coach. His words were complimentary but brief about the coach he encountered at Roma, between the 2021/22 and 2023/24 seasons, with whom he played 63 matches: "Mourinho? I found him well, even rejuvenated".

The Italian concluded with a reflection on what Napoli lacks in the Champions: "We believe we can advance to the next phase of the Champions League. There are still six points up for grabs. But now is not the time to think about it. We need to focus on the upcoming matches. We have an intense game against Udinese ahead".

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