Benfica manager José Mourinho did not hold back in his post-match assessment despite his team’s 2–0 win over Atlético CP in their fourth-round cup fixture, accusing several of his players of “betraying” him with their first-half performance.
Speaking to RTP after the match, Mourinho said he was so disappointed that he would have made nine substitutions at halftime if the rules had allowed it. Instead, he made four changes during the break, a decision he believes shifted the momentum of the game.
“I didn’t make five changes because I couldn’t play 45 minutes without a single substitution. But I made four and I think they changed the game because of the intensity and seriousness,” Mourinho said.
One of the few players who completed the match without being subbed was young forward Rodrigo Rego. When asked about the youngster’s performance, Mourinho praised his attitude over his predictability.
“He is set to continue. I can’t say if he’ll remain a starter, or if he’ll play next Tuesday or not,” Mourinho said.
“But I’m paying close attention, even though I’ve only been here a short time, to the youth players. And I knew one thing about him: I couldn’t predict if he would have a great game or offer a lot of quality, but I knew he wouldn’t let me down. And I don’t like players who let me down.”
Mourinho’s comments suggest major shake-ups could be coming to the Benfica squad as he continues to demand higher levels of commitment and discipline.
