Mourinho refuses to speak ahead of Real clash

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·24 febbraio 2026

Mourinho refuses to speak ahead of Real clash

Suspended, the coach will not hold any press conferences against Real

Mourinho refuses to speak ahead of Real clash

OneFootball Video

José Mourinho will not speak before or after the Champions League second leg between Real Madrid and Benfica.

Banned by UEFA for the return leg in Madrid, the Portuguese manager has chosen not to address the media. Regulations allow him to skip press conferences, so his assistants will handle all official communications.

🚨🇵🇹 Jose Mourinho is exercising his right to NOT talk to the media before or after Benfica’s game against Real Madrid on Wednesday, reports @SkySportsNews. 🎤❌
– lunedì 23 febbraio 2026

After the first leg, Mourinho stirred controversy with his remarks on the racism case involving Vinícius Júnior. He notably insisted that Benfica could not be a racist club, citing club legend Eusébio. Sent off late in the first match, Mourinho will not be on the bench at the Santiago Bernabéu for this crucial showdown.