Mourinho Cites Lack of Training as Factor in Benfica‘sโค Loss to Chelsea
LONDON – Benfica manager Jose Mourinho attributedโฃ his team’s 1-0 defeat toโ Chelsea in their Champions League group stage match to aโ lack of preparation time, stating they “did not train at all, we only recovery” between matches. The result marked โaโค return to Stamford Bridge for Mourinho,where he previously managed Chelsea during two triumphant spells.
Mourinho, who led โคChelsea to three English League titles across his tenures from 2004-2007 and 2013-2015, emphasized the disruption to his usual training regimen. benfica secured a 2-1 victory overโฃ Gil Vicente in the Portuguese League just days prior, โขleaving limited opportunity for focused preparation ahead of facing his former club.โ
“We have two โคdays of pause between the match and we did not train at all,โค we โonly recovery between the two,” Mourinho explained after the match.โ he further lamented, “One of my advantages in the field, ifโข I could say, is my training, but we don’t have time โฃfor it.”
Despite the setback,Mourinho attempted to frame the defeat as a potentialโ learningโข experience for his players. “This defeat โcan be the basis โฃfor them becauseโ we could have come โฃout of hereโ withโค a draw, wich will be a positive thing for them,” he stated.He also noted Benfica’s cautiousโข approach afterโ three key playersโข – Enzo Barrechea, Richardโฃ Rios,โ and Fredrik Aursnes – received yellow cards.
Mourinhoโ acknowledged his team’s tactical awareness, โsaying, โ”We are organized, we study Chelsea well, and I think we handle the design of the gameโฃ they apply in โthe fieldโ very well.” โฃHowever, the lackโ of training time ultimately proved detrimental as Benfica fell to โChelsea at Stamford โขBridge.