Jose Mourinho creates instant Champions League history in 26th year as a manager

Jose Mourinho has become the first ever manager to lead seven different clubs beyond the Champions League group stage.

The Special One had been level with Carlo Ancelotti in taking six different clubs to the two-legged knockouts.

AFP

Mourinho was reappointed at Benfica in September – 25 years after his first unveiling at the club in what was his first managerial role.

He replaced Bruno Lage in the dugout following his axing in the aftermath of Benfica‘s shock home defeat to Qarabag in their league phase opener.

Against all odds, Benfica booked their spot in the knockout play-offs after beating Real Madrid 4-2 in their final group match.

They were heading out on goal difference until goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored a dramatic header in the eighth minute of stoppage time.

And as luck would have it, Los Blancos, who Mourinho managed between 2010-2013, now stands in Benfica’s way of reaching the last-16.

As soon as referee Francois Letexier, blew the whistle for kick-off, it saw Mourinho create Champions League history.

Mour history

Mourinho stands alone in guiding seven different teams to the knockouts.

He first did so at Porto, who he won the competition with in 2004, before two semi-finals followed during his first spell at Chelsea.

His spell as Inter Milan boss culminated in European Cup glory in 2010, with Madrid then reaching three consecutive semi-finals under the 63-year-old’s tutelage.

After his second stint at Stamford Bridge, Mourinho returned to England to take charge at Manchester United, who he guided to the last-16 in the 2017/18 season.

Getty

Tottenham Hotspur were the next team to achieve the feat under Mourinho, reaching last-16 in the 2019/20 term.

And Benfica have become the seventh team to do so with Mourinho at the helm.

He is now one club ahead of Ancelotti, who guided AC Milan, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Napoli beyond the group stage.

The Italian was in charge of Juventus when they reached the semi-finals in the 1998/99 term, but the club were already in the knockouts at the time of his arrival.

Ahead of the clash between Benfica and Real, rumours linked Mourinho with a shock return to the Bernabeu in the summer.

But he was quick to shut speculation down amid speculation he has one eye on the Portugal national team job after the World Cup.

AFP

Commenting on Real links, Mourinho said: “Can you say no? Yes. Yes you can.”

Regardhing his relationship with Real president Florentino Perez, Mourinho remarked: “I gave everything to Real Madrid, everything that I had.

“I did good things, I did bad things, but I gave absolutely everything and that’s all.

“When [someon] leaves a club with those type of feelings, I think a connection always exists.

“The fans think highly of me, and that is fantastic, but with this I don’t want to encourage stories that don’t exist.

“The only thing that exists is that I have another year on my contract with Benfica. It’s a special contract because it was signed in an electoral period.”

He concluded by saying: “I would very much like to eliminate Real Madrid [from the Champions League].

“But I would like Alvaro [Arbeola] to win LaLiga and for Alvaro to stay at Madrid for many years.

“I think he’s a coach with a lot of capability and a boy who has Madrid within him, and with the personality to coach Madrid, which isn’t something anyone can do.”