Former Chelsea and Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho, has hit back at his critics following Benfica’s dramatic 4–2 victory over Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League group stage on Wednesday night.
Speaking after the thrilling encounter in Lisbon, Mourinho mocked his critics, saying he hoped they were not “jumping off balconies” after witnessing his team’s performance against one of Europe’s biggest clubs.
Real Madrid opened the scoring in the 30th minute through Kylian Mbappe, but Benfica responded emphatically. Andreas Schjelderup and Vangelis Pavlidis found the net to give the Portuguese side a 3–1 lead before Mbappe struck again to reduce the deficit.
Madrid, needing at least a draw to keep their hopes of finishing in the top eight alive, pushed forward desperately. However, their task became harder after Raul Asencio and Rodrygo were sent off late in the game.
Benfica, monitoring results from other fixtures, realized they needed one more goal to secure qualification to the Champions League knockout play-offs. In a dramatic finale, goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin joined the attack for a last-minute free kick and sensationally headed home the decisive fourth goal in the 98th minute.
Despite the victory, Benfica remain 10 points behind leaders Porto in the Primeira Liga, a situation that has placed Mourinho under pressure in recent weeks.
Reacting to the criticism, Mourinho told reporters:
“The only thing I want is a little respect. I hope they are not committing suicide or jumping off balconies. Calm down. Benfica will lose games and others will have chances against us. The team is the same.”
Benfica’s remarkable win has not only secured their place in the Champions League play-offs but also reignited debate around Mourinho’s leadership amid growing scrutiny.
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