Mourinho on Otamendi’s Benfica future: He’s absolutely vital | OneFootball

Nicolás Otamendi was one of the scorers in Benfica’s rout against Arouca. In a press conference, José Mourinho addressed the presence of the veteran Argentine and considered that age is sometimes just a number, explaining that the number 30 is an example to be followed, both on the field and in training.

Present in the press room at Benfica Campus, the Special One, before talking about the Argentine, spoke about the goal for the League Cup. Regarding the player, the Portuguese coach began by giving an example about the ages of footballers and what they really mean: "One thing is real age and another is what we see on the field, in training".

Next, José Mourinho continued his reasoning, stating that there are athletes and athletes, and that sometimes age does not influence anything: "There are 20-year-olds who are old players and there are 38- and 40-year-olds who are young. Nico is young".

About the commitment of the Eagles’ captain, one of the most veteran players still active, Mourinho revealed part of a conversation he had with Otamendi: "I asked him directly: ‘What do we do tomorrow?’ He said: ‘We have Guimarães, Leverkusen and Tondela’".

Finally, José Mourinho once again emphasized the role the Argentine has in the locker room, stating that bureaucratic matters are the responsibility of the management: "He plays. He is extremely important for us. Contractual and future issues are for people above my level to decide".

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