Portuguese tactician Jose Mourinho on Monday dismissed hypothesis linking him with a return to Real Madrid, insisting his focus stays on Benfica.
Mourinho’s Benfica host Actual Madrid in a UEFA Champions League play-off first leg on Tuesday, with the return fixture scheduled for subsequent week on the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
The 63-year-old, who managed Actual Madrid between 2010 and 2013, has a clause in his Benfica contract permitting both occasion to terminate the settlement. The availability has fuelled rumours that Madrid president Florentino Perez may think about him for a return subsequent season.
Mourinho guided Benfica to a 4-2 victory over Madrid within the league section of the Champions League in January, establishing the 2 sides’ newest assembly within the knockout play-off spherical.
‘Sure, You Can Say No’ to Perez
When requested whether or not he may reject an method from Perez, Mourinho replied, “Are you able to say no? Sure. Sure, you may.”
He acknowledged his “nice friendship” with Perez and an enduring bond with Madrid, however clarified that the break clause was included as a consequence of Benfica’s presidential elections scheduled for November 2025, shortly after he signed his contract.
“I gave the whole lot to Actual Madrid, the whole lot that I had. I did good issues, I did dangerous issues, however I gave completely the whole lot, and that’s all,” Mourinho stated.
“When somebody leaves a membership with these kinds of emotions, I feel a connection all the time exists… the followers assume extremely of me, and that’s incredible, however with this, I don’t wish to encourage tales that don’t exist.
“The one factor that exists is that I’ve one other yr on my contract with Benfica. It’s a particular contract as a result of it was signed in an electoral interval.”
