From Hjulmand to Otamendi's new deal: Mourinho before Casa Pia – Benfica | OneFootball

he returned to the press room after the end of the latest international break. At the launch of the match between Benfica and Casa Pia, for the 28th round of the Liga Portugal Betclic, the 63-year-old coach answered journalists’ questions, making some comments about the players on international duty, the “open war” between Porto and Sporting, as well as the future of Nicolás Otamendi. Check out everything the Special One said.

“Of the players who came back from international duty, only Barreiro has come back with a problem. At this moment I still can’t confirm whether he can play on Monday or not. The reason why we held the press conference now is not to avoid any question of that kind, it’s simply because we train tomorrow, but many of you probably don’t work tomorrow. Barreiro still hasn’t trained since he came back. He will go out onto the pitch today for the first time, and obviously with limitations. And tomorrow, after training, we will decide whether he is fit. Casa Pia have recovered very well since the new coach arrived. They have a very clear playing identity, capable of creating difficulties for the stronger teams. Even before his arrival, I know very well that in a strange way, like so many strange things that have been happening in this championship since the start, not just recently, Casa Pia managed to take points off us despite it being a game with strange things. And obviously at their home, even if it’s a borrowed one, they will surely fight hard for the point, I’d say, but because of their characteristics and the way they play, even for the points. They are capable of giving the opponent control of the game and then punishing them. So we expect a difficult match. But, once again, we will try to win.”

Your opinion on what is happening between Sporting and FC Porto. In what way do you think Benfica can benefit from it?

“Benfica benefit? Since the start of the season, have you seen Benfica benefit from anything? I still haven’t. Sometimes I hear people talk about breaths of fresh air, and I was getting ready to try, in one respect, to be a breath of fresh air. Which was for my team to win with refereeing mistakes and for me to come out and say ‘we won 3 points’. But mistakes in our favor? It still hasn’t happened. And I hope it doesn’t happen. But if it eventually does, I’ll put out the challenge. And then I will come out and say Benfica benefited. But until now I can’t understand in what way. That situation between the presidents of Sporting and FC Porto... I already said a couple of weeks ago that when it comes to situations between presidents, I am merely a spectator. Between coaches yes, between presidents no.”

After Sporting-Santa Clara, Benfica put out a post talking about the refereeing. Do you agree with the phrase ‘There isn’t even any shame left’?

“In a world of suck-ups, I’ll be one too. I’ll say I agree 100% with my president, which is what the others do.”

Benfica lost their last league match precisely against Casa Pia. Will this unbeaten factor this season be a source of motivation or extra pressure?

“That factor is pride. And it means, or has meant, the character of a team that tries to respect its history, the suffering inherent to bad results that any fan feels, and even in extreme situations we have always fought to get good results. And sometimes a draw ends up being the lesser evil. If you ask me whether I’d rather have two defeats instead of eight draws, obviously. Even though defeats, and especially when they happen in games where they are not expected, hurt our pride a little. Of course we play to win and any draw we get ends up not being a good result. Even against FC Porto, Sporting, and even Sp. Braga, top teams, we did not see draws as good results. Imagine the ones we had against Santa Clara, Casa Pia... That is not the objective. But we haven’t lost so far, and that means something in terms of our quality and professionalism, as well as respect for Benfica.”

Otamendi did not guarantee whether he would stay at Benfica or not. As coach, do you think this is the right time to let him leave? Is Aursnes recovered?

“No, Aursnes is not recovered. The ‘if’ does not exist. Either [Otamendi] leaves or he doesn’t. And at this moment that doesn’t exist. It’s something that is more in the player’s hands than Benfica’s. And whether Benfica would be ready for the departure of a player like Otamendi? Yes, in the sense that they have two great center-backs, António and Tomás, young players, internationals, with plenty of Benfica experience, with the captain’s armband when the others are not there, and they are two players in whom I have the utmost confidence. If next season there is no Otamendi, António and Tomás provide guarantees. But obviously Benfica would have to go to the market to make up for the departure of a player with Otamendi’s ability, experience and leadership.”

Hjulmand commented on your words... How do you look at the most recent refereeing cases?

“As for Hjulmand, the statements he made were extremely polite, there is no personal problem at all. But in fact it is a case to think carefully about in relation to the next foreign players who might join Benfica next season. Because normally, when a player arrives in a foreign country and wants to learn the language, and that is something we as Portuguese praise... It was something I was always concerned about when I was coaching abroad, but the goals are normally greater social integration in a new country, doing our job better in our relationship with our teammates. Better communication not only with the people of the country, but also with people of our own ‘color’. But the reason why we want to learn a language is to communicate better with the referees... It is truly fantastic and something that maybe, when Benfica’s players arrive here next season, that will be our motivation to try to push them to learn Portuguese quickly. I think it’s a fantastic situation. Refereeing cases? As it happens, I arrived here today and, as always, there is only one who arrives before me, which is Gonçalo. And I saw the front page of the two most traditional and historic Portuguese sports newspapers, and when I saw the front page I thought ‘nothing happened’. Beautiful front pages with a kid who played, had his birthday and scored a goal, but they make anyone who didn’t watch the match think that nothing happened. And it is on this basis of ‘it seems like nothing happens’ that we have seen things since the start of the season. And that is the problem. We forget the Nacional game, in Famalicão at Alvalade, a lot of things that come from the beginning of the season. I’m not quite sure what I should tell you, but focusing only — and only — so as not to go further, on three games against Santa Clara... It’s all there.”

Rui Borges said that maybe people need to grow up a little for Portuguese football to improve. Do you agree? Are you planning to keep António Silva and Otamendi?

“Of course [regarding the second question]. They have contracts, both are important for Benfica. As a coach and not as a manager, obviously I want to have the best players possible. Would I like them both to stay? Obviously yes. The president knows it, director Mário Branco knows it too, but I know what year I am in. I’m not in 1960 or 1980. I know what year I’m in, I know what markets are, financial fair play, all the situations of modern football. And as a coach, I can’t shut myself off in an area that is mine and not understand others that are not directly mine. If we eventually get to a situation where Benfica has to, or wants to, sell a player whom I consider important for continuity, it will not be a drama. I will obviously have to accept it and then try to reorganize myself in another way. But would I like to keep them, yes. As for Portuguese football... Rui is very intelligent. More than people think.”

Daniel Banjaqui’s renewal. This is a position where Benfica are well covered, with Dedic and Bah. For you, is it also a challenge to manage the use of these three players?

“Easy to manage. Difficult is when we don’t have them. And if you notice, right now, because I consider both Banjaqui and Neto first-team players, we have five full-backs for two positions. Very objectively. One of them is 17 years old, the other just turned 18. We have three men and two kids. Two kids with great potential. I wasn’t the one who developed them, but I was the one who gave them the confidence to. Having these five players, three of whom are men and two of whom are kids with enormous potential, is not a problem, it’s a privilege. And under normal conditions — of course, there are always abnormalities that can happen in today’s markets — if you ask the coach and he is only a coach, I think this is the ideal situation for Benfica next season. The kids are less and less kids and more and more men. And eventually, at the end of next season, Benfica may look differently at that group of five players.”

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