Mourinho puts his support behind Benfica
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Jose Mourinho wants Benfica to win the Champions League after watching his Chelsea team slide out of the competition.
The Barclays Premiership champions were dumped out of Europe by Barcelona following a 1-1 draw in the Nou Camp last night.
Now the Portuguese will cheer for Lisbon giants Benfica, who take a 1-0 first-leg lead to Liverpool tonight.
Mourinho said: 'I would like Benfica to win the Champions League but I don't know if they will.
'I am a true Portuguese and, although I was in Barcelona for four years and have good memories, I am a Benfica fan. That is why I want them to win the Champions League.'
Chelsea went to Barcelona trying to overturn a 2-1 deficit from the first leg.
But the size of their task increased when Ronaldinho fired the Spanish champions ahead in the 78th minute.
Frank Lampard levelled with a dubious penalty in stoppage time, when Giovanni van Bronckhorst was ruled to have fouled John Terry although he seemed to win the ball.
Mourinho said: 'We had a difficult job to do. We knew we had to score a goal, even if we scored a goal in the 85th minute we would have a big chance.
'But, when you score in the 92nd minute and after that there is not even a chance for a single kick, it is very difficult.
'We had good situations for Joe Cole and Arjen Robben to score in the first half and a great chance for Hernan Crespo in the second half.
'Score one of those and the game is open and the pressure is on them - but we could not score until the last minute of the game.'
Mourinho insisted his team lost the initiative in the first leg in London two weeks ago.
Asier del Horno was sent off in the first half of that game and Barca capitalised on their numerical advantage.
Asked whether the best team won the tie, Mourinho said: 'I don't think so.
'For me the crucial point was the result at Stamford Bridge.
'We played with 10 players for most of the first leg and we have not seen two games with 11 v 11. We have not seen Barca win against us when we have 11 players.
'However, Barcelona are definitely a great squad and I wish them luck.
'Last season they saw the quarter-final on TV and this year we must do the same.
'The reality is who is in the next round. If they are in the next round they deserve to be there.
'They can think about the quarter-final and we will think about the Premiership and the FA Cup.
'At this level of football, details make a big difference.
'When I was a champion for Porto, a goal in the last minute got us through.
'Last season, against Liverpool, we could not score an open goal in the last minute.
'This year we have to play one hour with 10 men.' -
So sour.
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Still mourn over that first leg ? And still thick skin enough to say Bracelona don't deserve to win both leg ?
Sour ? No , it's more than that ! -
He needs a lesson on learning to accept lossesOriginally posted by Poolman:Still mourn over that first leg ? And still thick skin enough to say Bracelona don't deserve to win both leg ?
Sour ? No , it's more than that !
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Mourinho is a big whinner.
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Nothing new.
I betcha that he will say more than Ronald Koeman if Benfica gets through. -
benfica is a portugal team I dun see anything wrong with him supporting his own nation club................
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Had Chelsea defeated Barcelona last night and progressed in the semis,he wldnt have commented abt the Liverpool-Benfica match.
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benfica is doomed
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haha LFC is doomed instead of benfica jose must be celebrating right @ the 2nd goal of benficaOriginally posted by the Bear:benfica is doomed -
yup.. uhh... next please...
pardon me, but your slip is showingOriginally posted by ghimpheng:haha LFC is doomed instead of benfica