Jose Mourinho on working at Benfica: If I stayed at home, I would earn more.

Mourinho on returning to Benfica

According to The Sun: Jose Mourinho shared his thoughts on returning to Benfica, emphasizing that spending time with loved ones brings him more satisfaction than working at the club.

The 52-year-old coach returns to Portuguese football for the first time in over 20 years after being dismissed from Fenerbahce.

Despite the tempting salary, it was not the main motive for Mourinho's return to Lisbon, where he started his coaching career in 2000.

At that time, his job at Benfica lasted only eight matches.

Now he wants to win titles, which, in his opinion, were out of reach during his time at Roma and Fenerbahce.

“If I had stayed home until the end of the season, I would have earned more than working at Benfica. It's simple.”

“Spending time with my family in London, traveling to the Algarve and sightseeing, I would have earned more.”

“It's not even free; it's negative. Why? Because I really enjoy working.”

“I miss the opportunity to fight for titles. By playing for Benfica, I can achieve that. I couldn't do it in Rome, couldn't do it at Fenerbahce.”

“Staying at home is not for me.”

Regarding the reasons for his involvement at Benfica, Mourinho noted that his predecessor, Bruno Lage, was dismissed after unsatisfactory results in the Champions League.

After Benfica's defeat to Qarabag 3-2, the coaching position was vacated.

Mourinho decided to take the opportunity, as he was fired from Fenerbahce after losing to Benfica in August.

Throughout his coaching career, Mourinho also worked at Inter, Real Madrid, and Manchester United, but he has not won trophies since 2022 when he won the Conference League with Roma.

He started his return to Benfica with a 3-0 victory against AVS on Saturday.

Jose Mourinho's return to Benfica opens a new chapter in his career, filled with aspirations for success. Whether he can bring the club back to the top of Portuguese football is a question that will intrigue many fans. The coach has already secured his first victory, but many challenges lie ahead in the fight for trophies in the upcoming matches.