José Mourinho, the Benfica manager, spoke to journalists after the team’s draw with Sp. Braga, praising his players’ effort and defending their character. He stated that Benfica played well but were let down by a lack of efficiency in front of goal.
On the draw with Sp. Braga:
“Benfica played a good game. I’m only not saying it was very good because we didn’t win, and that might sound contradictory. But it was a good performance, clearly deserving to win. Benfica were the team that played more, attacked more, and created more chances. We just lacked efficiency, and efficiency matters. They had three or four shots, only two on target. We had 25 shots, and I’d say at least ten of them were genuine attempts, not just stat-padding. We had many goal opportunities, and again, I’m only not calling it a very good game because we didn’t win. But it was a good game from both collective and individual perspectives. We were much stronger, but we didn’t win. My feeling is one of satisfaction with the players’ effort and the quality they put on the pitch. I’m not let down by my players at all.”
On the tension from the stands and refereeing decisions affecting the team:
“I think it’s very difficult to do what they’ve done throughout the season. Feeling so many things, they never lost their commitment, professionalism, perseverance, or resilience. The fact that the team hasn’t lost a single game with just one matchday remaining reflects the character of this group. Obviously, there were a couple of games where, through our own fault, we didn’t have the right attitude individually or collectively. There are a couple of games where neither I nor the players liked what we did. Apart from those, in this last third of the season, we’ve had extraordinary games—like the match against Sporting, the one in Famalicão while it was still a contest, and today we had periods where we pushed Sp. Braga back. In terms of intensity and performance, the team has grown a lot. But it’s hard to feel things and keep fighting. And they have felt things throughout the season, and it hasn’t been easy. So I give them credit for their resilience and attitude. I just told them: obviously there will be criticism and negative adjectives directed at the team, the players, and the coach. But what people say is one thing; what we feel is another. These players, at least from the standpoint of attitude, and also quality, but fundamentally in terms of what dignifies men—humility and respect—are an untouchable group. It’s a group I really enjoyed, a group I always went to training happy to be with, and I always left training happy to have worked with them. It’s a good group of men.”
