In a post-match press conference following Benfica’s 1-1 draw yesterday, José Mourinho did not hold back, delivering a 15-minute critique of his squad that left no one untouched.
Mourinho, known for his candid assessments, expressed frustration over what he perceives as a lack of commitment from certain players. “There are players that I don’t want to play anymore. We won’t be champions. We threw away that possibility today,” he said. “It would be easier not to play certain players anymore, but there are bigger things at play. They are investments from the club.”
The Portuguese manager added that he had tried to nurture the players’ potential rather than antagonize them, but admitted that his efforts had not borne the desired results. “Maybe it would be easier if I stopped.
I am old fashioned, I think in football you should give your life at every minute, at every duel, at every kick. Now I see that I wasn’t able to turn the character of some players into the character of a player who fights to win titles.”
Mourinho also stressed that the team lacked the necessary defensive intensity, which he described as critical to championship success. “We weren’t killers. And I don’t mean killers in the attack, I mean killers in the defense, because that is equally important,” he said.When pressed about Benfica’s title ambitions, Mourinho was unequivocal: “The title is impossible now. Impossible.”