Jose Mourinho Doesn’t Skip a Beat With Instant Benfica Referee Blow-Up

Jose Mourinho wasted little time in reverting to type after his first match back as Benfica manager.

The Box Office Portuguese manager is very rarely miles away from controversy as fans of English football will know all too well.

Mourinho, 62, was barely out of work after leaving Turkey before his former club offered Jose the opportunity to make a stunning and emotional return to become the Eagles’ boss for the second time in his career.

It took no time at all, though, for the newspaper headlines to find the legendary gaffer after he took aim at the referee in the aftermath of his side’s 1-1 draw late on with relegation-threatened Rio Ave.

Benfica had led late on themselves thanks to a strike from Heorhiy Sudakov but the lowly Rio found the back of the net in injury time thanks to a goal from Andre Luiz to rescue a point in a division where, for them, every one is a prisoner.

Jose Mourinho accused referee of having ‘no personality’

Mourinho was livid at full-time after he felt Benfica had been the victim of a poor call earlier in the game. The boss insisted his side were denied a goal that was chalked off before the late drama while the scoreline sat at 0-0.

The former Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester United head coach admitted on the whistle that his side had not done enough to secure all three points as opposed to having to settle for just one.

But he was furious at the goal his side had scored that he was adamant should have counted.

“We didn’t do enough in the first half. The second half was good, within our limitations. We were dominant, aggressive and created chances, always playing in their half of the pitch. The two players who came on shook up the game,” Mourinho said.

Mourinho vs referees happened at Fenerbahce earlier this year

“We scored a goal. If this is the new football, when goals are ruled out because a small toe steps on another small toe, I don’t like this new football. But that’s the way it is so we have to accept it.

“We kept trying and finally got the goal, but we conceded when we can’t concede a goal. It’s tremendously unfair and an awful result for us. It was the game that Rio Ave wanted and which the referee allowed.

“We are not an overly physical team or strong in the air. We have to penetrate using other routes.

“We were hit on the break and a team that is winning cannot concede a goal like that. We lost two points because of it.”

He also said about referee Guelho: “He has no personality.”

It’s certainly not the first time Mourinho has had it in for a whistler during his time as a manager.

Back in March, Mourinho accused referee Espen Eskas of being “arrogant” following his Fenerbahce side’s elimination in the Europa League at the hands of Rangers.