Jose Mourinho In Talks To Become New Benfica Manager With Chelsea Reunion Looming

Jose Mourinho is set to return to Benfica, with the Portuguese coach in line to replace Bruno Lage just before the club meet Chelsea in the Champions League.

Benfica dismissed Lage on Tuesday night after a stunning 3-2 defeat to Qarabag at the Estadio da Luz, where the team squandered a 2-0 lead.

Club president Rui Costa confirmed the search for a new coach would be swift, with Mourinho now the frontrunner.

Why Benfica sacked Bruno Lage after Qarabag defeat

The loss to Qarabag proved the final straw for Lage, who had been under pressure after an uninspiring start to the season.

Benfica’s collapse at home in Europe left fans furious and raised concerns over the club’s ability to compete at the highest level.

Costa addressed the situation post-match, stressing the need for a manager with a winning pedigree.

“Benfica coach’s profile must be that of a winner,” he said. “A coach representing a club of this size must be one with the ability to bring this team to the levels we demand and give us the titles we desire.”

Though he did not name Mourinho directly, sources in Portugal suggest an announcement could come as early as this week.

Mourinho Benfica history

This would be a full-circle moment for Mourinho, who first managed Benfica in 2000.

His stint lasted just 10 games before a dispute with the board led to his departure, but he stayed in Portugal to join Porto, famously winning the Champions League in 2004.

That triumph propelled him to Chelsea, where he became a club legend, winning three Premier League titles, an FA Cup and three League Cups across two spells.

Since leaving Stamford Bridge in 2015, Mourinho has managed Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Roma and most recently Fenerbahce, where he was sacked last month following a Champions League elimination — ironically at the hands of Benfica.

Chelsea vs Benfica: a Mourinho reunion at Stamford Bridge

If confirmed, Mourinho’s appointment would set up a fascinating subplot when Benfica face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on September 30.

The 62-year-old remains adored by Chelsea fans, many of whom still view him as the architect of the club’s modern success.

His return to the Bridge in charge of Benfica would be one of the standout narratives of this year’s Champions League group stage.

What Mourinho’s arrival means for Ruben Amorim and Manchester United

Mourinho’s comeback also ends speculation that Benfica could lure Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim back to Lisbon.

One presidential candidate, Joao Noronha Lopes, was recently spotted at Manchester United’s defeat to Manchester City alongside former striker Nuno Gomes, a close friend of Amorim.

But with Mourinho close to taking over, Amorim’s name will no longer be in the frame — at least for now.

United’s board continue to back Amorim despite a rocky start to the Premier League season, but that could change based on results from the next three games,