Mourinho's ironic situation

Coach Jose Mourinho could lead Benfica to an unbeaten but trophyless season in 2025/26.

Mourinho may have led Benfica to an unbeaten season, but they didn't win the league and didn't qualify for the Champions League.

Taking over in September 2025, "The Special One" helped Benfica maintain a 30-match unbeaten streak in the Primeira Liga (Portuguese Premier League). Their record of 21 wins and 9 draws, most recently a 2-1 away victory over Sporting Lisbon on April 20th, demonstrates the remarkable stability Benfica has achieved under Mourinho.

However, the paradox is that this unbeaten streak wasn't enough to take Benfica to the top. After 30 rounds, they only have 72 points, temporarily sitting in second place but trailing Porto by a significant 7 points. The Porto team has shown superior form with 25 wins and only one loss since the beginning of the season.

Furthermore, Benfica is under immense pressure from behind. Sporting Lisbon currently has 71 points and a game in hand. If they win, they could easily overtake Benfica for second place. In that case, Mourinho's team would not only lose their runner-up position but also drop out of the Champions League qualification spots for next season.

Furthermore, the 63-year-old strategist's future is also uncertain. According to Portuguese media, he is being considered by Real Madrid as a potential replacement for coach Alvaro Arbeloa, after the Royal team was eliminated from the Champions League by Bayern Munich.

For Mourinho, this season could end with a memorable record, but it would lack the most important thing: a title. That prospect makes the unbeaten run even more bitter.

Mourinho's explosive celebratory moment: In the early hours of January 29th, Jose Mourinho embraced a ball boy in celebration after Benfica beat Real Madrid 4-2 in the 90+8th minute and secured their place in the Champions League play-off round.

Source: https://znews.vn/tinh-canh-tro-treu-cua-mourinho-post1642349.html