Article by Daniel Grigore – Published Saturday, January 31, 2026, 2:49 p.m. / Updated Saturday, January 31, 2026, 2:50 p.m.
Jose Mourinho (63) previewed Sunday's league match at Tondela on Saturday, but was also asked about the reunion with Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 play-off.
Ranked in extremis in the top 24, Benfica will continue in the Champions League. Next comes the play-off for qualifying for the round of 16, a phase in which there were two possible opponents, Real Madrid and Inter.
Fate put Real Madrid in their way, the team that Benfica dominated it – and beat it – in the last match of the league phase, score 4-2, the saving goal being scored by goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin.
Jose Mourinho, after losing to Real Madrid in the Champions League: “The King!”
“We only had two possibilities, Real or Inter, we didn't really have a choice, and our king fell. The other day, when a Real player gave me his shirt after the match, I was jokingly showing my colleagues the symbol they had on their sleeve – it's 15, [Real Madrid] is the king!
And all that means… because it's not just history, it's the present moment, we will definitely play against the biggest contender to win the competition“said Mourinho, quoted by A Bola.
However, the coach wanted to emphasize what the team's priorities are: “We have three league games before Real Madrid, with Tondela, Santa Clara and Alverca, and that's what we have to focus on.”
The first leg of this “double”, Benfica – Real, is scheduled for February 17, 22:00. The return will take place 8 days later, on February 25, from the same time.
