Benfica has officially appointed Jos\u00e9 Mourinho as the club\u2019s new manager, bringing one of the most successful coaches in football history back to the Portuguese top flight.<\/p>\n
The announcement came just 24 hours after Benfica\u2019s 3-2 home loss to Qaraba\u011f in their Champions League opener, a result that led to the dismissal of Bruno Lage. Club president Rui Costa confirmed the hiring at a press conference on Thursday afternoon, calling Mourinho \u201cthe right man to lead Benfica forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mourinho, 62, has signed what is provisionally a two-year deal with the Lisbon-based outfit less than three weeks after being\u00a0sacked by Fenerbahce.<\/p>\n
Mourinho, who has won league titles in Portugal, England, Italy, and Spain, as well as two UEFA Champions League trophies, expressed his excitement about returning to manage in his home country.<\/p>\n
“I have so many emotions, but experience helps me control them,” he said during his unveiling.<\/p>\n
“I want to thank you for your trust. Being Portuguese, there’s obviously no one who isn’t familiar with the history and culture of the Benfica nation and this club, but I want to make it clear that I have to be able to block out all these emotions and view Benfica in a very simplistic way.<\/p>\n
“I’m the coach of one of the biggest clubs in the world. I want to focus on this mission, focusing not on the difficulty but on the pleasure of a coach’s job, focusing on something exciting.”<\/p>\n
Mourinho left Portugal in the summer of 2004 to join\u00a0Chelsea\u00a0shortly after guiding\u00a0FC Porto\u00a0to Champions League glory.<\/p>\n
His arrival is expected to energize supporters and bring a new sense of urgency as Benfica looks to get back on track both domestically and in Europe. His first match in charge will be this weekend\u2019s Liga fixture at AVS, where fans will get their first glimpse of the team under his leadership.<\/p>\n
He will return to Stamford Bridge on September 30 when Benfica play at Chelsea in the Champions League before visiting FC Porto on October 5 in the domestic league.<\/p>\n
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\nJos\u00e9 Mourinho arrives at Benfica to begin his role as the club\u2019s new manager \u26bd
\npic.twitter.com\/In7b0NcnCp<\/a><\/p>\n\u2014 PortugueseSoccer.com \u26bd\ufe0f (@PsoccerCOM) September 18, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n