Mourinho on Ríos at Benfica: What he needs to reach top form, it’s tough | OneFootball

José Mourinho explained that he needs more time to work with Richard Ríos, so that the Colombian midfielder can reach his full potential at Benfica. The Benfica coach gave a series of interviews ahead of the match with Chelsea, and in one of them, he spoke about the Eagles' summer signing - who is expected to start against the Londoners.

"He's in a team that is not at its best, and it's difficult for players to be at their best in such a situation. I'm trying to understand him better to get the best out of him," José Mourinho began to explain about the Colombian midfielder's current situation.

The Portuguese coach continued, reaffirming his idea: "To get the best out of them, we have to ask them to do what they are good at and not ask them to do things they are not perfect at. I need time with Richard to develop this working empathy".

In addition to Richard Ríos, José Mourinho also had some words of praise for Estevão, the Brazilian forward who last season played alongside the Colombian midfielder at the Brazilian club Palmeiras, before moving to Chelsea in the summer.

"He's a talent. People might think, due to his youth, immaturity, and the competition he faces, that he would have few minutes and need time to adapt. But he is playing at the highest level, and he is a player with great potential," concluded José Mourinho, ahead of the Chelsea - Benfica match.

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