Jose Mourinho found himself embroiled in a commotion as the encounter between Porto and Benfica neared its conclusion.
Jose Mourinho, the coach of Benfica, asserted his uprightness after alleging he had been branded a traitor by Lucho Gonzalez, Porto’s assistant, near the conclusion of the previous day’s fiery Primeira Liga encounter.
The match concluded in a 2-2 draw, with the home team, Benfica, impressively recovering from a two-goal disadvantage at halftime to secure a point, courtesy of Leandro Barreiro’s equalizer in the 88th minute.
The score incited a skirmish by the sidelines, with Mourinho facing accusations of having propelled a ball into the Porto technical area. Once the uproar subsided, both he and Gonzalez, a former Argentine midfielder, were shown red cards.
The disagreement persisted within the passageway, and Mourinho, the manager who guided Porto to the Champions League championship in 2004, expressed his displeasure with Gonzalez’s choice of words.
He stated: ”He repeatedly labeled me a betrayer in the tunnel. I desire for him to clarify for me, a disloyal one to what cause? I went to Porto, I dedicated myself completely to Porto, I went to Chelsea, I went to Inter, to Real Madrid, I journeyed globally and committed myself ceaselessly, giving my life, my essence. Such is the essence of professional conduct.
“Abuse from supporters is a separate matter. But a colleague labeling me a betrayer, why? A disloyal one to what cause? Devoting everything to Benfica? A betrayer to what? I found it unacceptable.
“Should I depart Benfica tomorrow and join Amadora, Leiria, or Moreirense, I will offer the same commitment. My dismissal was unwarranted. The fourth arbiter performed poorly for the entire duration of the match.”
Mourinho asserts the sphere he propelled was intended for a supporter
Additionally, Mourinho refuted the allegation that he had intentionally propelled a sphere in the direction of the Porto personnel.
He further elaborated: “The official claims he dismissed me for propelling a ball towards the FC Porto dugout, an assertion entirely untrue. I cannot recall the exact number of instances, be it three, four, or five, but following numerous scores at the Estadio da Luz, I have sent a ball into the spectator area. It’s a method of rejoicing and providing a fortunate spectator with a keepsake.
“I acknowledge my technical proficiency is not high, but its destination was the spectator area.”
The draw positioned Benfica trailing the league-leading Porto by seven points, with only nine fixtures left, and Mourinho believes the deficit is too substantial to overcome.
“I consider it challenging to recoup seven points,” he remarked. “I have maintained this stance since the campaign’s commencement – Porto’s playing style is readily discernible, yet confronting them remains exceptionally arduous. It appears improbable to me that Porto will surrender further points.”