Mourinho Not At Benfica To Wage War On Porto, Sporting’

Jose Mourinho has said helium has not rejoined Benfica “to wage war” connected his erstwhile nine FC Porto oregon connected Portuguese champions Sporting CP.

Mourinho, 62, returned to Portuguese shot past week, 21 years aft leaving Porto to instrumentality implicit astatine Chelsea.

“I don’t deliberation they [Porto and Sporting] volition beryllium upset if I accidental that aft joining Benfica, I spoke with [Porto] president [Andre] Villas-Boas and president [Frederico] Varandas of Sporting,” Mourinho said aft enjoying a winning commencement astatine Benfica pursuing Saturday’s 3-0 league triumph astatine AVS.

“If we person a bully relationship, if we’re friends and respect each other, the information that I’m Benfica manager doesn’t mean I’ve travel present to wage war.”

Mourinho infuriated Porto supporters with comments helium made during his unveiling connected Thursday. He described his assignment astatine Benfica, the nine wherever helium started his coaching vocation backmost successful 2000, arsenic a “tremendous honour,” adding that nary nine helium has managed earlier had “motivated maine much than being Benfica’s coach.”

Mourinho tried to trim tensions with his erstwhile nine connected Saturday.

“I didn’t travel to Benfica to upset Porto,” helium said. “I came to Benfica to bask the accidental to erstwhile again manager a nine with winning ambitions astatine a precocious level. I didn’t travel to upset anyone. By saying that Benfica is 1 of the biggest clubs successful the world, I’m not saying that Porto isn’t.

“If idiosyncratic asks maine if Porto is 1 of the biggest clubs successful the world, I’d accidental yes. If idiosyncratic asks maine if Porto is simply a elephantine club, I’d accidental yes. If idiosyncratic asks maine if I, not being Benfica’s coach, person a peculiar affection for Porto, I’d accidental yes.”

Mourinho expects a frosty reception erstwhile his squad travels to the Dragão stadium connected Oct. 5 to look Porto successful the league.

A radical of FC Porto fans insulted Mourinho connected Friday evening during their team’s 3-0 triumph astatine Rio Ave, conscionable days aft the erstwhile Fenerbahce manager had received a lasting ovation erstwhile helium attended Porto’s 1-0 league triumph against Nacional.

“Now, of course, I don’t expect to beryllium applauded astatine the Dragão successful 2 weeks,” the Portuguese manager said.

“I played astatine the Dragão portion successful complaint of Chelsea, and I wasn’t applauded astatine all, fto unsocial going to the Dragão arsenic Benfica’s coach, but it’s portion of life. FC Porto is simply a precise important portion of my history, and I americium a precise important portion of FC Porto’s history. FC Porto wants to win, we privation to win, there’s nary much history.”

Mourinho won 2 Primeira Liga titles, the Taça de Portugal, the UEFA Cup and the UEFA Champions League during his 2 seasons successful complaint of Porto.