Benfica head coach Jose Mourinho sought to shut down speculation linking him with a return to Real Madrid, insisting he is fully capable of rejecting any approach from club president Florentino Perez.
Mourinho’s comments came on the eve of Benfica hosting Madrid in the Champions League playoff on Tuesday, with the return leg scheduled for next week at the Santiago Bernabeu. The tie has been framed not only as a tactical contest, but as a symbolic meeting between a former Madrid coach and the club he once reshaped.
The 63-year-old, who led Madrid from 2010 to 2013, has a clause in his Benfica contract that would allow for an early exit—fuel for rumours that Perez could turn to a familiar figure next season. Mourinho, however, was unequivocal.
“When asked if I can say no, the answer is yes,” he said. “You always can.”
While acknowledging a strong personal bond with Perez and an enduring emotional link to Madrid, Mourinho stressed that the clause in question was not designed with a return to Spain in mind. Instead, it was inserted because his contract was signed during an election period at Benfica, when uncertainty over the club’s leadership prompted a safeguard for both parties.
“I gave everything to Real Madrid—everything,” Mourinho said. “I did good things and bad things, but I left nothing behind. When you leave a club like that, a connection always remains. The fans respect me, and that means a lot. But I don’t want to create stories that don’t exist.”
He underlined that his sole professional commitment remains with Benfica, adding that while the contract is “easy to break” for either side, there is no agreement or discussion with Madrid.
Mourinho also struck a notably supportive tone when discussing Madrid’s current coach Alvaro Arbeloa, whom he praised as someone with both the personality and institutional understanding required to manage the club.
“I would love to eliminate Real Madrid from the Champions League,” Mourinho admitted, “but at the same time I want Álvaro to win LaLiga and to stay at Madrid for many years. Coaching Madrid isn’t for everyone.”
From a footballing perspective, Mourinho expects a very different challenge to the one Benfica dominated in January, when they beat Madrid 4–2 in the league phase. This time, he believes, the weight of history and expectation will shape Madrid’s approach.
“The Real Madrid I expect is the one everyone considers favourites to win the Champions League,” he said, referencing the club’s status as 15-time winners.
Arbeloa, while expressing personal respect for Mourinho, was clear about his own priorities.
“My objective is to eliminate Benfica,” he said. “After that, he can win everything else. Then I wish him the best.”
The Madrid coach declined to confirm whether Kylian Mbappe would start, after the French forward was benched at the weekend due to knee discomfort in the win over Real Sociedad.
“Kylian travelled with us, he will train, and tomorrow you will see whether he plays or not,” Arbeloa said.
Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga framed the match as an opportunity for redemption at the Estadio da Luz.
“We have to change our mentality from that last game,” Camavinga said. “We’re stronger now. We need to attack and defend together. Losing like that hurt our fans, and we want to respond—with a spirit of revenge.”
As narratives of loyalty, legacy, and ambition intersect, the playoff promises to be as psychologically charged as it is tactically demanding.
