José Mourinho refuses to guarantee Benfica future amid links to Real Madrid return
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José Mourinho was unable to confirm whether he will remain in charge of Benfica next season, stoking speculation of a sensational return to Real Madrid. Mourinho, 63, only kicked off his second stint with Benfica in September and is contracted to the club until June 2027.
However, after Real, who were eliminated from the UEFA Champions League this week, reportedly decided against handing interim manager Álvaro Arbeloa the role on a permanent basis, the former Chelsea, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur boss has emerged as a leading candidate. At a press conference on Saturday, ahead of their 2-1 win against Sporting CP on Sunday, Mourinho was asked whether he could guarantee his presence at Benfica at the start of next season.
"I cannot say, how can I say such a thing? It doesn't just depend on me! It's obvious," the Portuguese replied, before drawing a comparison between his position and that of the journalist questioning him, as per The Mirror.
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"A coach in a club structure, a coach, a player, a press director, a physiotherapist, all of us in a club structure, like you, as a journalist from A BOLA, you cannot guarantee that you will be at BOLA for the next 10 years; maybe you want to be, but you cannot guarantee it. Obviously, I cannot guarantee it."
According to Portuguese outlet Record, there is mutual interest between Mourinho and his former club. It is also claimed that Real president Florentino Pérez has his sights set on Jürgen Klopp, Zinedine Zidane, Didier Deschamps, Lionel Scaloni, and current U.S. Men's National Team boss, Mauricio Pochettino.
It is understood that Mourinho has maintained a strong rapport with Perez since his exit from the Bernabeu in 2013. The 'Special One' steered Real to three trophies in as many years but was unable to secure an elusive 10th Champions League title for Los Blancos.
When Benfica faced Real in February for a place in the Champions League Round of 16, Mourinho shed light on his relationship with Perez. "The last time we spoke was when I signed with Benfica," he said, having moved promptly to Lisbon after being dismissed by Turkish giants Fenerbahce only a few weeks earlier.
"He told me he was very happy because I had signed for a great club. He didn't come to the last match; I hope he'll be here tomorrow so I can talk to him. We're great friends."
For the time being, Mourinho's attention is firmly fixed on concluding the season on a positive note with Benfica. His side currently sits second in Liga Portugal, one point ahead of local rivals Sporting, who hold a game in hand.
