Mourinho appointed Benfica manager

Jose Mourinho has been appointed as Benfica’s manager until the summer of 2027.

Bruno Lage, 62, is now in charge of the Champions League after the shocking defeat suffered on Tuesday against Qarabag.

After suffering a Champions League play-off defeat at his new club Benfica, the former Chelsea manager was fired by Fenerbahce less than a month later.

Mourinho left after a disagreement with the club president, and he started his managerial career with Benfica in 2000. He only managed 10 games.

The club and Mourinho have the option to decide against him from leaving until 10 days after the end of the 2025-26 campaign in his new contract at Benfica.

Even though Lage was fired this season, he has lost just one game in every competition, and Mourinho is the manager of a team that is currently sixth in the Primeira Liga, five points adrift of Porto.

Mourinho became well-known between 2002 and 2004, when he won six awards, including the Champions League in 2003-2004.

Mourinho has held the offices of Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Roma, and Fenerbahce since leaving his birthplace in 2004.

Rui Costa, president of Benfica, said the new manager must have the “profile of a winner” after sacking Lage on Tuesday.

Mourinho, who has won 21 major awards, most recently with Roma in the Conference League in 2022, certainly fits that description.

Later in the league phase of the competition, Benfica will host another of his former clubs Real Madrid in Newcastle.

They finished second last year in Portugal’s top flight, and they last won the title in 2022-23.

Mourinho was frequently in conflict with the Turkish refereeing standard and went through a turbulent time there.

Mourinho criticized Fenerbahce in November for only disclosing “half of the truth” about the level of officiating, and praised Atilla Karaoglan as “man of the match” after his team scored late to defeat Trabzonspor.