"We are alive"

POST-MATCH

Realistic and pragmatic about the importance of the outcome of the classic match, José Mourinho was satisfied with the team's collective performance during his analysis of FC Porto-Benfica (0-0), a match in round 8 of the Liga Betclic, played on Sunday, October 5.

The coach began his interview in Sport TV's quick interview zone by reminding everyone that the “situation was complicated” in specific terms, stressing that “Benfica could not afford to lose the game,” otherwise they would be 7 points behind the leaders.

"Our situation was complicated. We couldn't afford to be 7 points behind, we wanted to be 1 point behind, but, as I said to the players just now, even I, on the bench, didn't feel comfortable taking risks to win. And they themselves, on the field, also felt that the game was under control, well under control, and that this game could not be lost. They [FC Porto] could afford to lose, even from an emotional point of view, as they are on a fantastic run of good results; we, on the other hand, are in a difficult situation – not an easy one for us – so it was essential not to lose. Our other rival, Sporting, also drew, which means that this weekend, when we were initially the ones in a more difficult situation, we ended up coming out of this weekend without losing any points, neither to FC Porto nor to Sporting, and we are still here, we are still alive," he began by noting.

PLAY TO WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP

"[How did this 0-0 come about?] It was built with a lot of respect on both sides. A team that arrives at an unbeatable moment, winning everything and playing well, with great empathy for their own, and without any pressure regarding the standings, because they knew they would always leave here as leaders. On the other side, a team that is not going through its best moment and has accumulated and accumulated difficult games—just this week, a Champions League game, while Francesco [Farioli] had the opportunity to change the entire team for the Europa League game—and with the pressure of the point difference. It was essential for us to try to win, but it was also essential for us not to lose. It was very important for us not to lose this game. And I think that was pretty much it. They respected us and didn't take any risks. And we, from the moment we felt that fresh players were coming on, William Gomes, [Pablo] Rosario, [Rodrigo] Mora, Deniz Gül, all these fresh players coming on, and we, already feeling somewhat fatigued, managed the game so as not to lose it. Benfica plays to win, but Benfica plays to win the Championship. And sometimes, to win the Championship, you have to play for the point. And today was the day to play to win, but we knew we couldn't lose. We didn't lose, the players were fantastic in terms of organization, concentration, and emotional control. We didn't get any yellow cards—we only got one—we didn't commit any fouls, we were rigorous, we were clean, we were intelligent. I think it was a good soccer game, without the scent of a goal. I don't think anyone is to blame for this, but I think the responsibility lies with both FC Porto and Benfica." 

HOW FC PORTO WAS CONTROLLED

"We worked well yesterday [Saturday], we worked well on Friday [October 3]. I was unsure whether to play Aursnes in that position, in a more individual situation with Varela, but I know both FC Porto center backs well, because one played in Italy when I was in Italy, the other played in England when I was in England. I know their strengths well, I know their limitations well, and we thought it was better to play zonally, with two players, to kill three. And with those players, by killing three, we had an extra player behind, let's say, this line of, I won't say pressure, but positional control. I think it worked out well, they really struggled. Then we were strong in controlling the depth. [Richard] Ríos and Enzo [Barrenechea] played an excellent game in controlling Froholdt, who was practically invisible today, not because of him, but because of us. The same goes for Gabri Veiga. They never created any dangerous situations near our area. I think the players deserve credit for this kind of control."

GAME TO PLAY ZONALLY

"[Wasn't today a game to press?] No, it was a game to play zonally. You can defend man-to-man, you can defend zonally. Man-to-man, you take more risks, especially the risk of duels, the risk of cards. Zonally, we managed, with two, to kill three, [Alan] Varela, Bednarek, and Kiwior, and then positionally we controlled the game. They had a great chance with a shot from Rodrigo [Mora], but if I had been in goal instead of Trubin for the whole 90 minutes, it would have been the same, because Trubin didn't touch the ball. The team played very well."

IT WAS PRAGMATISM AGAINST PRAGMATISM

"[How did you feel as Benfica's coach in a place you know so well and where you were so happy?] That story hasn't changed. My gratitude to FC Porto hasn't changed either. I don't know if their gratitude towards me has changed or not, but mine towards them hasn't changed at all. But I had an absolutely calm game, focused on my work, focused on trying to help my team. I had already played here with Chelsea. I can't say that I had any special feelings during the game. What the president [André Villas-Boas] said before the game is absolutely normal, and I agreed immediately: ‘How should he be received? He should be received as a Benfica coach.’ That's what happened. After the game, I met the president [of FC Porto] in the corridor, as friends. A hug. And life goes on. Regarding [Benfica] fans, looking at it very objectively, when you go to Marquês, you don't remember anything else, you only remember Marquês. And our goal was Marquês. Now, I don't deny that under normal conditions, instead of being 4 points behind, being level on points, having 1 point more, having 1 point less, I don't deny that we would have had a different approach. We also talked at halftime, maybe FC Porto would want to break down. They never broke down. They never broke down. It wasn't just Mourinho who was pragmatic, Francesco [Farioli] was also pragmatic. Francesco will surely also say, “Hey, man, we couldn't go to 7, but we're at 4, we're ahead.” They didn't dismantle anything either. So if you look at it from the perspective of pragmatism versus pragmatism, organization versus organization, I completely agree with you. If you go the other way and say ‘one team tried to win, and the other didn't’, then I don't agree."