Everything José Mourinho said ahead of Benfica v Tondela in the League Cup | OneFootball

Benfica will begin defending their League Cup title against Tondela in a quarter-final match tomorrow, October 29. In a press conference, José Mourinho discussed the goals set for the tournament, emphasizing that the team is prepared and will not take it lightly.

Tondela is not in the best moment of the season. What do you expect from the game?

"A cup is a cup, they are different competitions. It's true they are not in an easy position in the table, but teams that are promoted usually need time to adapt. But we don't want to take it lightly, we want to reach the 'final four', we will play in our stadium. We won well at Luz for the championship, we will have a tough game in Guimarães on Saturday, but we prepared today with a good training session to win the game tomorrow."

Happiness to return to Benfica and the statements to Corriere dello Sport

"When I left Fenerbahçe, I wasn't expecting to return so quickly. I wanted to be selective in my choice, I wanted to accept something that I felt motivated and responsible for. But when Benfica came along, I was quick to say yes. I had confirmed to 'Corriere dello Sport' that I would be at the gala, but it was a way to be there without being there and to express my pride in being the coach of Benfica. The electoral process has had an electoral impact outside, my contacts in football are many, and I took the opportunity to emphasize my pride in being here and if I can be a vehicle for promoting Benfica, I do it with pride."

Renewal of Otamendi at 38 years old?

"One thing is real age and another is what we see on the field, in training. There are young 20-year-olds who are old players and there are old 38 and 40-year-olds who are young. Nico is young. I asked him directly: 'what do we do tomorrow?' He said: 'We have Guimarães, Leverkusen, and Tondela'. He plays. He is very important for us. Contractual and future issues are for people at a higher level than me to decide."

Changes for the game with Tondela

"Few, some. I will change something."

Profile of the players you want in January.

"In my opinion as a coach, knowing the players better, their qualities, their limitations, both individually and collectively, I said that one or two key players are enough to provide a different balance. I didn't ask anyone for players. Internally I open my analysis, I talk about what might be important to improve, but nothing more than that. I won't discuss this with you, my mission is not to ask for players, it's to work with the ones I have. In January, if the management can help me with one or two players of a certain profile, it would be great. What profile? I will hide a little..."

Does it make sense for the League Cup to continue in this format? And how did you shield the squad from the elections?

"The elections have been felt for months, even before I arrived it was already felt. In the last month, it intensified. The players got used to doing their work a little isolated from some contexts, but it didn't harm them. I don't think there is a relationship between the negative results and the electoral period. League Cup? I got used to playing many games, in England, I got used to all this. In my head and in my body, which is no longer young, I like to play. I am not against any type of competition. Does it mean something to the clubs economically? I have no idea. It is the only competition in Portugal that I haven't won, maybe I can now. Then, when Benfica enters a competition, it has to respect it, even if they are friendly matches, Benfica cannot mess up. There are players who need to rest, I will respect the competition by respecting the players and the squad."

Election results: do the members trust Rui Costa's project? Did your return have an impact?

"I have no idea. When I arrived, neither President Rui Costa nor Mário Branco touched on the electoral topic. The only moment was when they sensitized me to accept a contract that respects the elections, in the sense that a hypothetical new management could decide that I was not the coach they wanted. But from the moment I accepted that ethical situation, important at the electoral level, it was the only thing they touched on electorally. Otherwise, they only talked to me about Benfica."

Can Manu Silva get minutes?

"No"

Playing like in the last game; is it necessary for the players to grow in all moments of the game? Instructions to Lukebakio at the start of today's training.

"I told him that if he thinks that when he plays on the opposite side of the bench I don't see, I see. When I get here hoarse it's because of that. Offensive dynamics are important relative to each player's discipline. It is important that the team works well defensively, but we gave a good offensive dynamic that we brought from training to the game. Today we only worked offensively."

Can Obrador and Joshua Wynder get minutes tomorrow?

"Joshua had a small problem in training and when there are small muscular issues I prefer not to risk it. Obrador might get minutes tomorrow, he is a boy with good conditions, who needs to grow, even from a mental point of view, self-confidence, but he will get there. He is not a finished product, he is a good kid, intelligent, absorbs feedback. He will reach a good level for us, he has a path to follow, but we will help him."

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