José Mourinho, Benfica coach, made a first analysis of the game with Casa Pia in statements to BTV.
«Good first half until we scored the goal, good dynamics, intensity, block of ten players at the edge of the area [do Casa Pia]but a lot of movement, combination on the wings, we are not a team with much presence in the area, but we tried hard to get in and scored a good goal. Then we entered a period… our fault, because it’s time to continue the same, to try… I’m not saying kill the game, because there would always be an opportunity for the referee to reopen the game… Then, in the second half, we improved again, we made it two to zero, Casa Pia didn’t have a single shot on goal, the game was dead, and then… then if I’m going to comment on the performance of the referee and the VAR, I also have to go into not just the analysis of what happened today, but the analysis of what happened yesterday and a week ago, and then I enter a field that I don’t want to enter.”
If I’m going to comment on the performance of the referee and the VAR, then I also have to go into not just the analysis of what happened today, but the analysis of what happened yesterday and a week ago, and then I enter a field that I don’t want to enter.
«It’s strange. It’s strange, it’s difficult to understand how the referee decides the penalty, but it’s more difficult to understand why the VAR doesn’t interfere in a move that is obvious, one of the great examples of what UEFA and FIFA, at the beginning of each season, set as clear examples. I want to be soft and balanced and say that the referee and VAR were bad, but no. When the referee is bad, VAR helps, VAR didn’t help either, why? These are questions he was unable to answer. I also can’t respond to what happened yesterday and a week ago. What I can answer is that during some periods of the game Benfica’s players have to have more ambition, more personality, more character, deep down… but the game ended with two to zero… it’s difficult to explain without getting into paths and then being penalized.”
Benfica’s players have to have more ambition, more personality, more character, deep down… but the game ended with two to zero… it’s difficult to explain without getting into paths and then being penalized.
«The message is basically this, with more detail that I cannot give here. But there is a great indignation and something that comes from before, even before I arrived and that the players carry with them this negativity of there being something that they cannot explain, but that they feel. On the other hand, I also have to be a coach and say, as I said at half-time, that these teams come looking for a miracle and let the game drag on waiting for something. I had a problem with Enzo [Barrenechea]he had to leave at half-time due to illness, feeling unwell, vomiting, he had to leave. I put the Prestianni to end the game. With two zeros it was over, then the referee and VAR decided to reopen it, but we have the capacity to not concede the second goal like we did, that’s our fault.”
