Jose Mourinho is set for an emotional reunion with Real Madrid when his Benfica side face the Spanish giants on Wednesday in a decisive Champions League encounter.
The fixture brings Mourinho back against his former club, where he coached from 2010 to 2013, and pits him against Alvaro Arbeloa, one of his most trusted former players, now in charge of Real Madrid.
Arbeloa is in his first senior managerial role after replacing Xabi Alonso, another ex Mourinho player, who was sacked two weeks ago following a brief spell in charge. Arbeloa had risen through Real Madrid’s youth system before his promotion to the senior side.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Mourinho praised Arbeloa both professionally and personally.
“Arbeloa is my boy; he’s not just a former player of mine,” Mourinho said. “He is one of my favourite players on a personal level. He wasn’t the best footballer I had at Madrid, but he was one of the best men. He’s the last person I would put pressure on.”
When asked whether Arbeloa’s lack of experience could be exploited, Mourinho dismissed the suggestion, while making it clear his goodwill would not extend to matchday.
“Arbeloa can coach any club in the world, and I want him to do well at Real, except for tomorrow.”
Arbeloa later returned the compliment, describing his former manager as a key figure in his career.
“I’m extremely proud to hear everything he said about me,” Arbeloa said.
“I’m excited and happy, because he has been much more than a manager to me. Above all, on a personal level, he has been very important throughout my career. Today, I also consider him a great friend. I would like to thank him for all his words. I am really looking forward to seeing him tomorrow and giving him a big hug.”
Real Madrid go into the match in strong form after a 6 1 victory over Monaco last week, a result that lifted them to third place on 15 points. They sit three points behind Bayern Munich and six adrift of leaders Arsenal as they push for a top eight finish and automatic qualification for the round of 16.
Benfica, however, face a far tougher reality. The Portuguese side are 29th in the standings on six points and currently in the elimination zone. Victory against Real Madrid is essential if they are to keep alive any chance of finishing in the top 24 and reaching the knockout phase playoffs.
Acknowledging the scale of the challenge, Mourinho stressed the importance of balance in Benfica’s approach.
“We need to score one more goal than our opponents to win—that’s obvious,” he said. “We have to play to score, but we can’t suffer too much in the process. Balance will be key. Without balance, Madrid will punish us.”
Mourinho also reflected on Alonso’s departure from Real Madrid and his pride in former players who have moved into management.
“Xabi is another one of my boys,” he added. “I am thrilled when I see my former players achieve great things. What happened to Xabi at Madrid after I left doesn’t concern me, but he has proved the level he can reach as a manager, and I’m certain he is happy now.”
The former Real Madrid coach, who led the club to the LaLiga title in the 2011 12 season as well as Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup success, described the clash as a must win encounter for Benfica.
“We’ll be playing against a great team and great players,” Mourinho said. “We have nothing to lose, so we’ll fight to stay in the competition by maintaining balance and playing our game.”
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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