Mourinho on Benfica dressing room: I’ve a message for... | OneFootball

Benfica will host Rio Ave next Tuesday, September 23rd, in what will be the rescheduled match of the first round of Liga Portugal, which had been delayed due to the Eagles’ Champions League qualifying games. In the pre-match press conference, José Mourinho praised Nicolás Otamendi, as well as the players from Benfica’s academy.

"This is a team of youngsters with a man who is a World Champion, who is the captain. There are clubs where the armband isn’t on the right arm, it’s happened to me before," José Mourinho began by telling the journalists present at the press conference.

Next, the Portuguese coach admitted that Nicolás Otamendi, World Champion with Argentina, is the right captain for Benfica: "In this case, [the armband] is on the arm of someone who is truly a captain and embraces that role".

Regarding the academy players, José Mourinho highlighted their inherent passion: "What pleasantly surprised me is that those who come from the academy, whether older or younger, these people come with a vocabulary... They aren’t just empty words, they are heartfelt words, they come with Benfica’s schooling, with responsibility".

Finally, José Mourinho gave special thanks to those responsible for the Eagles’ academy: "They are kids who love each other, who grew up together. They are very strong in the locker room. Even those who haven’t played. I send a message to the academy, I have to thank them, that’s where it comes from".

Check out the statements from José Mourinho and Otamendi before Benfica - AVS:

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