In a drastic move following a painful cup exit, manager José Mourinho has ordered his entire Benfica squad to remain at the club's training complex as punishment for their performance.
The Defeat That Sparked the Reaction
The drastic measure comes after Benfica suffered a 3-1 defeat to Braga in the semi-finals of the Portuguese League Cup on Wednesday night. The loss was compounded by playing most of the match with ten men after the first-half dismissal of former Manchester City defender Nicolás Otamendi.
Mourinho, furious that his team squandered a chance to compete for a trophy, revealed his plan in a tense press conference on Thursday. He stated the players would not be going home but would instead stay at the Seixal training centre.
Mourinho's 'Sleepless Night' Directive
'Look, today, thinking we were going to play the final, we are not going home, we are going to Seixal,' Mourinho declared. 'The players will sleep in Seixal, and there is training tomorrow and the day after. But on Saturday there is no match.'
He elaborated on his harsh wishes for the squad's night of reflection. 'Upon arriving at Seixal, everyone will go to their rooms. I hope the players sleep as well as I do, that is, they don't sleep at all. That is what I wish for them. That they don't sleep and think a lot, as I am going to think.'
The manager explained this was a prelude to a proper dialogue, contrasting it with the immediate aftermath of the match. 'And so, tomorrow, we can start to talk, which is not what happened in the dressing room. In the dressing room it was a monologue, and monologues don't work with me; I like to dialogue with the players.'
Fan Fury and a Daunting Porto Clash Ahead
The defeat ended Benfica's 11-match unbeaten run under Mourinho and sparked visible anger from the club's supporters. Shortly after the final whistle in Leiria, a group of furious fans unveiled a protest banner.
Their anger was directed not solely at the result, but at the club's commercial decisions. The banner, referencing the recent opening of the 'Benfica 1904 Hotel' in Lisbon's Rua do Jardim do Regedor, read: 'After the hotel, let's build a brothel. To hell with titles, we just want concrete.' This was a clear dig at club president Rui Costa.
Attention now turns to a massive fixture. Mourinho's team, currently third in the Liga Portugal and ten points behind leaders Porto, must regroup to face their arch-rivals. They meet FC Porto in the quarter-finals of the Portuguese Cup next Wednesday, a task made harder by the suspension of Otamendi and Antonio Silva, and the likely absence of Enzo.
Despite the setbacks, Mourinho struck a defiant note, insisting the team is 'thinking that we can win the match' against Porto.
