"An extremely difficult game for us and for them"

PREVIEW

Refusing to accept that Benfica's against Newcastle, on matchday 3 of the league phase of the Champions League, will be decisive for the Eagles’ ambitions, José Mourinho expressed confidence in his team's ability to face a worthy opponent in the preview of the match scheduled for St. James' Park at 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 21.

Two questions. Given their results so far, the first is whether this game is already a do-or-die situation for Benfica's continued participation in the Champions League. And the second is whether, in your opinion, this game could have any influence on Benfica's elections.

Regarding the elections, I think that playing for Benfica, coaching Benfica, in itself, brings pressure and responsibility, and it's not for everyone. But is the pressure inherent in being Benfica's coach and Benfica's player enough to add extra pressure because we may or may not have some kind of influence on the outcome of the elections? I don't think it's fair, and I don't think we're prepared for that either. We prepared for the game, just as we prepared for the game in Chaves and as we will prepare for Saturday's game, for the Championship, trying to forget that there are elections, because our job is different, and that's what we have to focus on. There are 18 points at stake. After tomorrow's game [Tuesday], there will be 15. If we get 15 points, we qualify. We don't need 15, we don't need 14, we don't need 13, we don't need 12, we probably don't even need 11. So tomorrow's game isn't decisive. Now, we'll play the game thinking that it is. We'll play the game as if it were our last chance, but it's not.

I know you must be tired after this delay in your journey, but I think it's essential to come to this stadium and appreciate the presence of Sir Bobby Robson. Do you feel something special when you come to this stadium? What did Bobby Robson tell you about Newcastle?

I always felt something special, even before Mr. Robson left. After he left, obviously, I began to feel that closeness that... Unfortunately, even with the people we love, even with family members who leave us, everyday life sometimes causes us to overlook that longing. And then there are places that make us open the door again, allowing those people to enter our thoughts, and here, yes. I worked with Mr. Robson for about six years, and I don't think a day went by when he didn't show his passion for Newcastle city, Newcastle area, Newcastle club, and the pride and passion with which he spoke made me too... I have never hidden the fact, even as a coach for other English clubs, that Newcastle has always been a club very dear to me, obviously due to the influence of a person who is a legend of this club and this region.

What does the team still lack and need to win tomorrow?

Maybe we'll win, and we won't need anything else. It could happen. It could happen that tomorrow [Tuesday] we'll win the game and at the end of the game we'll say that we don't need anything else to win here. We'll see, but basically, in every game there's an opponent to face. Often, there is a game plan that can be put into practice, other times it cannot, it simply cannot. Then people may be left with the perception that the game plan was wrong, and often it is not the game plan that is wrong, often it is the opponent that makes the plan seem wrong. Tomorrow, we're playing against a very strong team, which, if the less... I don't want to say less knowledgeable, but less professional people look at the Premier League table after I don't know how many games—10 or 11, I don't know—they'll immediately be misled about this team's potential. It's a very well-organized team, with players handpicked to play according to Eddie Howe's (Newcastle coach) ideas. A physical team, a tremendously physical team, very strong in direct play, very strong in set pieces, but then they have very fast wingers, and they don't have two, they have four, they have four very fast wingers, two playing and two on the bench. They are a very strong team, with an absolutely fantastic stadium to play in, and they play with them. People don't come here to watch the game, they come here to play with their team. So tomorrow is an extremely difficult game for us, but I believe it is also an extremely difficult game for them.

Before this game, if you were asked, would you settle for a draw?

No, no... I said the same thing at Chelsea, and then we lost, so maybe I should have accepted the draw, which was better than losing [smiles]. But before the game, no. We want to play, we are prepared, within our limitations, we are ready to play. The fact that we trained today in Seixal was precisely so that we could train, because if we came here, it would obviously be impossible to train, to practice. Today we trained, trained, and prepared as best we could for this game, knowing that they will want to take it to the side where they are strongest, and we have to try to create the conditions for the game to go in a direction where we can feel more comfortable.

Yesterday marked one month since you took over as team manager. I would like to ask you for an assessment, but above all, what frustrates you after this month, what have you not yet managed to instill in the team, or what do you still not see in the team? And today [Monday] we saw Manu training. Can you tell us when you expect the player to be able to join the squad, at least?

Nothing frustrates me. Even though this is only the third time in my long career that I have taken charge of a team midway through the season. It was Benfica the first time, Tottenham the second, and Benfica now the third time. I can't say I have much experience of taking over teams with the train already running, but these small experiences clearly give me the notion that it is much more difficult than starting a season—having time to work, having time to organize, having time to discuss things internally. As I was saying, Eddie [Howe] has had that privilege of being here for three or four years in a row now, where all the players are Eddie-type players. That's what he likes, that's the kind of player he wants, that's the way he wants to play. When you come in mid-season, you can't be frustrated, because if you're frustrated, you're frustrated with a lot of things, and I don't even want to use that word, frustration. It is what it is, I came in mid-season, in this case not mid-season, but with the train already moving, and I have to try to adapt to that without feeling any kind of frustration. We think Manu will be training with us fully next week, because what you saw today was the initial part of training. He's already doing some things with us, but with a lot of control, and we think that from next week he can start integrating into normal work with the team, which means that, if we're at the end of October, I would almost venture to say that by the end of November he will be fit to play.

You chose to interrupt Trubin's response about whether he would have said anything to the team after the game in Chaves...

No, I never say anything. No, no, no [smiles]. When the game is over, I never say anything. When the game is over, I go to the locker room, greet the players, and it's not the time to talk to them about the game. I never do that. 

Around here, there is a feeling that Newcastle is currently undergoing a small transition. There was the Alexander Isak saga in the summer, when he left for a British transfer record fee. Since then, they have signed Woltemade for a club record fee. I know you've been busy, but looking at it from a distance, what do you make of it all?

What happened with Isak in the summer is very difficult for a club, for a coach, and even for teammates. I think that, in the end, everyone knew he was going to leave for Liverpool, but it's one thing for everyone to know he's leaving, and another for it to be done. When it's done, you move on, you have a new player. When you have a new player, you train and adapt to playing with a new player, because obviously Isak and Woltemade are different players, but again, it was what I was saying: there's always a transition period for new players. It feels like this guy has been here his whole life because he's performing, he's adapted, he's loved by the fans. Newcastle is doing things right.

From your experience in the Premier League, you know how difficult it is to play and win at this stadium. You spoke about this to the Portuguese press. Can you tell the English press what you told the players about playing under the lights at St. James' Park in the Champions League?

I told them it's beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. Even as opponents, it's beautiful. Of course, they [the Benfica players] are going to play against the Newcastle players. But I believe they will respect us as opponents, they will respect our game, they will respect us if we are successful. It's beautiful to play here, it's different from playing in London stadiums. And we have to deal with that emotion. We have to be strong enough to deal with it. But, as I said, the players have to enjoy themselves, and I believe they will. It will be difficult for us. We have to try to impose our qualities, which are different from Newcastle's. But if, at times, Newcastle impose their superiority, we have to deal with it and be prepared to suffer on the pitch, because it will be a very difficult game. 

Do you regret never having coached this club, which you said you admired, or is it something that could still happen in the future?

I don't regret it because I never had the opportunity. I never said no to Newcastle. I've said no to many clubs in my career, always with the utmost respect, but sometimes I've had to say no—no, I'm not interested; no, it's not the right time. I was never contacted by Newcastle at any point, so I have no regrets. And, to be honest, I don't think they need a coach right now, and I hope they won't need one in the coming years, because that will mean that everything has gone well for the club and for Eddie [Howe], which is what I want for them. But beyond that, at this point in my career, there is no club where I could be happier and more motivated than I am at Benfica, so I wouldn't trade Benfica for anything right now.