Former Chelsea coach, José Mourinho looks set to take over as head coach at Benfica after the club parted ways with Bruno Lage in the wake of their surprising Champions League loss to Qarabag. Discussions are reportedly at an advanced stage, with only contract negotiations still outstanding.
Mourinho, 62, returns to a club where he once held a brief spell in 2000, managing 11 matches early in his coaching career. He later earned major honours at clubs like Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Roma and most recently, Fenerbahce.
Benfica’s president, Rui Costa, emphasized that the club considered several candidates—among them Manchester United’s Rúben Amorim—before settling on Mourinho. Rui Costa told Portuguese media that they aim to have the new coach in place by the upcoming weekend, particularly for the fixture at Vila das Aves.
The decision to dismiss Lage came after the team surrendered a two-goal lead against Qarabag at home—an outcome Benfica saw as deeply damaging to their ambitions of re-establishing domestic and European dominance.
If finalized, Mourinho’s return will mark not just a homecoming, but also a strategic move by Benfica to steady the club’s season and restore confidence among its supporters and players.
