José Mourinho is currently enjoying the international break in Portugal, where he was honoured by his home town Setúbal with a street to his name yesterday.
And it’s exactly from Portugal where Manchester United’s next Champions League opponents are coming, since the Red Devils will be playing Benfica on October 18th for the third fixture of the group stage.
The Lisbon side have been living a nightmare this season, and besides poor league form, their European results haven’t been any better, as they lost 2-1 to CSKA and 5-0 to Basel.
So when speaking with local journalists this Monday, Mourinho was asked about the matches against the Eagles, but still claimed they will be the toughest opponents in the group.
“The defeat suffered in Switzerland didn’t change my opinion that Benfica are our main opponent in this group stage of the Champions League. Benfica’s bad start in the Champions League doesn’t change the approach to the double-match that is at the door. They are better than CSKA and Basel,” he said (via Record and A Bola).
Manchester United are currently on top of the group after beating Basel 3-1 and CSKA 4-0. So a win over Benfica would put the club on a very favourable position for qualification.
Also quizzed about the good Premier League form, Mourinho said: “Nothing happened yet. Last year the season started much harder and ended very well, this year it started very well and we don’t know how it will end.
“In another league it could be said that a team that starts with seven wins and a draw would almost mean the title, but in England it doesn’t mean anything, not even that we will finish in the first four places.”
On the great days he’s been living, he said: “I am a much better coach today, precisely because of the different control of my emotions, the way I deal with difficulties. I feel more mature.”
