LISBON (PORTUGAL) (ITALPRESS) – Last March 1st, he said he was ready to honor his contract, to remain at the helm of Benfica, and, if the club wanted, to sign a two-year extension. Now, Josè Mourinho is taking his time, and, the special man assures, not because Real Madrid or another club might be in the way, but only to focus on the “Eagles.” “March 1st is not today,” he said yesterday after the 2-2 home draw with Braga, which complicates the race for second place. “The last two weeks of the championship are not for thinking about the future and contracts. They are for thinking about the mission we had set ourselves, which is to perform the miracle of finishing second. I decided weeks ago that I didn’t want to listen to anyone, to isolate myself in my workspace. Saturday is the match against Estoril, I think that from Monday onwards I will be able to answer questions about my future as a coach and about Benfica.” Yesterday’s draw with Braga in the second-to-last match of the league season cost Mourinho’s team a two-point advantage over Sporting. They now see second place, and therefore the Champions League, further away, but for the Portuguese coach, this won’t determine his future.
“You’re talking about Real Madrid, I’m not talking about Benfica, and finishing second or third won’t influence my future. Obviously, Benfica wants to play in the Champions League, and so do I as a coach, but it has no influence on my decision. I’m not hiding,” Mourinho continued, “but no one should force me to decide, much less communicate my decisions, because I’m the one who decides when. In my mind, there’s only one thing: to work and give my all, and I won’t stop until the match against Estoril. That’s the respect that Benfica and my profession deserve. I have the right to remain isolated. I continue to say that I haven’t spoken to Real Madrid or any other club.”
– photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).
