Real Madrid, Florentino and Rui Costa: Mourinho before Estoril-Benfica | OneFootball

previewed Estoril - Benfica, the match on matchday 34 of the Liga Betclic, scheduled for 8:30 pm on Saturday, April 16, at the Estádio António Coimbra da Mota. Read again everything the 'Special One' said - who is set for Real Madrid - in the press conference.

"Whoever wanted to understand the meaning of the miracle of finishing second understands what I mean. I believe we can beat Estoril, just as I believed we could beat Famalicão, just as I believed we could beat Sporting de Braga. In both games, we did everything to win, we just didn't win because a miracle didn't happen. I believe we're going to play another good game, against a difficult team, and that we'll play well enough to win. Then there is another game, just as last week there was another one, in Vila do Conde. It won't be easy, but we'll give everything, as we have done since the start of the season".

Offer to renew with Benfica

"Yes, I received a renewal offer from Benfica on Wednesday. An offer that was delivered to my agent, an offer I did not want to see, did not want to know about, did not want to analyze, and that I will only do from Sunday onwards".

How Benfica fans feel

"First of all, Benfica is much bigger than me, there is no possible comparison. Benfica is bigger than everyone, bigger than any coach, player or president. It is bigger than anyone. As for my personal situation, I think there is no reason for concern, because Benfica is bigger than everyone and should never worry about whether someone stays or leaves. As for first, second, third or fourth place, I think things are so obvious, so obvious, so obvious that I don't believe any Benfica fan has failed to understand them. If, by any chance, any Benfica fan was distracted during the season, they just need to focus on last weekend to understand the whole story. In that sense, I would say there are reasons for concern, because last year the season ended the way it ended, with that Cup final. This year, very probably, the season will also end with the same levels of analysis and frustration. Very honestly, I think there are reasons for concern".

Real Madrid's approach

"No. My agent met with Benfica and told me I have an official offer that he was going to send me. I said, 'I don't want it, send it on Sunday.' As for Real Madrid, he never told me, 'I have an offer I want to show you.' And if he called me now to say that, I would say exactly the same thing, 'Send it to me on Sunday, because on Sunday I'll start thinking about it'".

What he would change and what he is proud of

"I am proud to be Benfica's coach every day that I am. I am proud of myself for giving my all and of many things that were built here, but I am not going to go into detail or define these points of pride. This season will, in any case, leave the frustration that, at this moment, for Benfica to achieve great things, miracles are needed, and it should not be that way. It should just be the natural course of things, with credit going to those who work. At this moment, I know well that when results are not the best, there is a major focus on the elements directly involved on the pitch, hence my statements after Sporting de Braga. Whenever necessary, I will continue to defend an extraordinary group of people who, during the season, had a couple of games in which, through our own fault... I refer, for example, to Casa Pia as the iconic case of a bad game on our part. After that, fighting against the feeling that a miracle is needed is very difficult. These guys have been extraordinary. I love working with them, I have a lot of fun, and with today being the last training session of the season, it will be with some emotion that I say goodbye to them for now, see you soon".

The fight for second involves external factors

"You didn't understand my implicit message. I can't make it explicit. If, as journalists, you have a different opinion from mine, I have to accept and respect it. That's it. I don't want to go from implicit to explicit".

Will he be the coach who says 'no' to Benfica

"I don't know".

Florentino Pérez's words

"I didn't see them. Even if I had seen them, who am I to comment on a president's interview? I never do it, much less with a president with Mr. Florentino's history. I have no comments".

Álvaro Arbeloa in trouble at Real Madrid

"It pains me, because he is a friend, one of those people who gave his soul, his life, for me as my player, and the moment he becomes Real Madrid coach, if that link between me and Real Madrid has always existed, when the coach is Álvaro, my desire for things to go well increases even more. But our life as coaches is like that. I joke a lot with my former players who became coaches, I always tell them, 'Wait a couple of years and you'll see how many gray hairs you'll have. Now you know being a player is much easier than being a coach.' I'm sorry that it is like that, but yesterday he won, and he won well. May he be happy".

The second-place calculations

"Whoever wanted to understand the meaning of the miracle of finishing second understands what I mean. I believe we can beat Estoril, just as I believed we could beat Famalicão, just as I believed we could beat Sporting de Braga. In both games, we did everything to win, we just didn't win because a miracle didn't happen. I believe we're going to play another good game, against a difficult team, and that we'll play well enough to win. Then there is another game, just as last week there was another one, in Vila do Conde. It won't be easy, but we'll give everything, as we have done since the start of the season".

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