Jose Mourinho has taken characteristically drastic action following Benfica's disappointing exit from the Allianz Cup, forcing his entire squad to spend the night at their training complex.
A Night of Reflection at Seixal
The Portuguese giants suffered a 3-1 defeat to SC Braga in the competition's semi-final on Wednesday night. The performance was so poor that Mourinho, according to reports from Portuguese newspaper Record, ordered his players to remain at the club's Seixal training centre. The squad faced an early-morning training session on Thursday after a night of enforced contemplation.
Mourinho did not mince his words about his intentions. "When we get to Seixal, each player will go to their rooms and I wish they sleep as well as I do, which is to say that they don't sleep at all," the former Manchester United and Chelsea manager stated. "That's what I want for them - that they don't sleep and that they think a lot, just like I will."
Mourinho's Scathing Match Analysis
The manager's frustration stemmed from a woeful first-half display where Benfica found themselves 2-0 down. The situation worsened when experienced defender Nicolas Otamendi was sent off, leaving the team with ten men for the remainder of the match.
In his post-match comments, Mourinho offered a blunt and brutal assessment. "I have to apologise to Braga," he said. "I can't say that Braga deserved to win, I have to say that Benfica deserved to lose. We were the ones who had a horrible first half."
He criticised his team's reaction to a controversial penalty decision, which he claimed was outside the area, leading to a "click of negativity, nervousness and horrible quality in possession." Mourinho labelled the technical errors in the first period as "unacceptable under any circumstances."
Internal Monologue and Stern Tests Ahead
Mourinho revealed he broke his usual post-match protocol to address the players privately. "I don't usually speak in the dressing room after games, but I did today," he explained. "I spoke in a critical but calm tone. I had a conversation, which ended up being a monologue. There were absolutely unacceptable individual performances."
The defeat is another setback in a challenging season for Benfica, who currently sit ten points behind Primeira Liga leaders FC Porto. Having missed the chance to face Vitoria de Guimaraes in the Allianz Cup final, attention now turns to an even sterner test: a Portuguese Cup quarter-final clash against Porto next week, where Mourinho will demand an immediate response from his chastened squad.
