Jose Mourinho has taken characteristically stern action following Benfica's disappointing 3-1 defeat to SC Braga in the Allianz Cup semi-final on Wednesday night.
Mourinho's Midnight Punishment for Players
According to reports from Portuguese newspaper Record, the entire Benfica squad was ordered to spend the night at the club's Seixal training complex as a direct consequence of the loss. The punishment was followed by an early-morning training session on Thursday.
"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," Mourinho stated bluntly after the match. "That's what I want for them - that they don't sleep and that they think a lot, just like I will."
The manager revealed he broke his usual post-match protocol to address the team in the dressing room, describing the talk as a critical but calm "monologue."
A Scathing Assessment of Performance
Mourinho did not mince his words when analysing the match, which saw Benfica 2-0 down at half-time and finish with ten men after Nicolas Otamendi's red card. He began by apologising to Braga and their manager, Carlos Vicens.
"I can't say that Braga deserved to win, I have to say that Benfica deserved to lose," he admitted. "We were the ones who had a horrible first half."
He lamented a "click of negativity" after a controversial penalty decision and condemned the "horrible quality in possession" and "unacceptable individual performances." Mourinho even suggested the display would have been poor against local amateur sides.
While he noted a slight improvement after the break, he criticised the defensive errors that prevented a comeback.
Pressure Mounts for Mourinho's Benfica
The defeat is another setback in a difficult season for the Lisbon giants. They were knocked out of the final, which will now be contested between Braga and Vitoria de Guimaraes.
More pressingly, Benfica currently languish ten points behind fierce rivals and Primeira Liga leaders FC Porto. Their next challenge is a stern Portuguese Cup quarter-final clash against Porto next week, managed by Francesco Farioli.
Mourinho's drastic measures underscore the intense pressure at the club as they fight to salvage their campaign.
