Jose Mourinho has said he has not rejoined Benfica “to wage war” on his former club FC Porto or on Portuguese champions Sporting CP.
Mourinho, 62, returned to Portuguese football last week, 21 years after leaving Porto to take over at Chelsea.
“I don’t think they [Porto and Sporting] will be upset if I say that after joining Benfica, I spoke with [Porto] president [Andre] Villas-Boas and president [Frederico] Varandas of Sporting,” Mourinho said after enjoying a winning start at Benfica following Saturday’s 3-0 league win at AVS.
“If we have a good relationship, if we’re friends and respect each other, the fact that I’m Benfica coach doesn’t mean I’ve come here to wage war.”
Mourinho infuriated Porto supporters with comments he made during his unveiling on Thursday. He described his appointment at Benfica, the club where he started his coaching career back in 2000, as a “tremendous honour,” adding that no club he has managed before had “motivated me more than being Benfica’s coach.”
Mourinho tried to reduce tensions with his former club on Saturday.
“I didn’t come to Benfica to upset Porto,” he said. “I came to Benfica to enjoy the opportunity to once again coach a club with winning ambitions at a high level. I didn’t come to upset anyone. By saying that Benfica is one of the biggest clubs in the world, I’m not saying that Porto isn’t.
“If someone asks me if Porto is one of the biggest clubs in the world, I’d say yes. If someone asks me if Porto is a giant club, I’d say yes. If someone asks me if I, not being Benfica’s coach, have a special affection for Porto, I’d say yes.”
Mourinho expects a frosty reception when his team travels to the Dragão stadium on Oct. 5 to face Porto in the league.
A group of FC Porto fans insulted Mourinho on Friday evening during their team’s 3-0 win at Rio Ave, just days after the former Fenerbahce coach had received a standing ovation when he attended Porto’s 1-0 league victory against Nacional.
“Now, of course, I don’t expect to be applauded at the Dragão in two weeks,” the Portuguese manager said.
“I played at the Dragão while in charge of Chelsea, and I wasn’t applauded at all, let alone going to the Dragão as Benfica’s coach, but it’s part of life. FC Porto is a very important part of my history, and I am a very important part of FC Porto’s history. FC Porto wants to win, we want to win, there’s no more history.”
Mourinho won two Primeira Liga titles, the Taça de Portugal, the UEFA Cup and the UEFA Champions League during his two seasons in charge of Porto.
