Coach Mourinho: 'I am at a financial loss by accepting the Benfica job'

24/09/2025 09:44:00 ScoreStream

Jose Mourinho openly admitted that he is facing financial disadvantages while managing Benfica, but the reason he took the role was driven by his desire to win trophies.

After parting ways with Fenerbahce, Jose Mourinho made a surprising return to his homeland Portugal to take charge of Benfica, a club he briefly managed back in 2000. This marks his first time working in his home country in over two decades, and a high-profile comeback following the dismissal of his predecessor Bruno Lage after a bitter 2-3 loss to Qarabag in the Champions League.

In a press conference before his second match in charge of Benfica, Mourinho shocked everyone with brutally honest remarks about his situation. “If I stayed at home until the end of the season, I would earn more money than working at Benfica. It’s as simple as that.”.

He even emphasized: “If I were in London with my family, taking them to Algarve for holidays, I would still make more. The truth is, I am actually losing money by taking the Benfica job.”.

Mourinho shocks by admitting managing Benfica causes him a “financial loss”

This is because Mourinho continues to receive a 9 million Euro severance from Fenerbahce after his dismissal, whereas his Benfica salary is only about 6 million Euro. This means accepting the new role actually reduced his income. However, Mourinho insists money was not his motivation for joining Benfica. “I miss the feeling of fighting for a championship. I couldn’t do that at Roma, nor at Fenerbahce. Staying at home is not my preference.”.

The 62-year-old coach said he quickly agreed when he received the offer from president Rui Costa. “When Benfica lost to Qarabag, I was in Barcelona with my wife. Rui Costa called and directly asked if I was ready. I said yes, and that was it. People want a more dramatic story, but I have nothing else to add.”.

Mourinho also revealed that both Porto and Sporting CP approached him, but he was not interested. “If Porto or Sporting CP had invited me, I might not have even considered it. Benfica is a different matter.”.

Mourinho reveals that Porto and Sporting CP contacted him, but he only accepted Benfica

His debut match at Benfica went smoothly with a 3-0 victory over AVS. However, in his first home game at Da Luz, Benfica disappointed by drawing 1-1 with Rio Ave in the postponed first round of the Portuguese league.

Although Sudakov scored first in the 86th minute, the visitors equalized in stoppage time at 90+1 minutes, and VAR disallowed a goal by Pavlidis, causing Mourinho to show visible frustration on the pitch. Dropping points against a weaker opponent left Benfica in 3rd place, 4 points behind Porto, increasing pressure on the “Special One” in his return.

Despite declaring he is “losing money” as Benfica’s manager, Mourinho maintains his trademark style: straightforward, honest, and showing he still has passion for football, despite recent career challenges.

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