Jose Mourinho sent off again after rival ‘called me a traitor 50 times’

Jose Mourinho simply cannot stay away from drama.

The managerial icon was at the centre of controversy once again during Benfica‘s 2-2 draw with Porto on Sunday.

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Why was Mourinho sent off against Porto?

Mourinho was sent off in second-half stoppage time after he was adjudged to have booted a ball towards Porto’s bench.

It marked the second time in three weeks Mourinho had seen red, having also been given his marching orders during the first leg of Benfica’s Champions League play-off tie against Real Madrid.

Mourinho wasn’t the only coach to be sent off late in the contest, as Porto assistant Luis ‘Lucho’ Gonzalez followed him into the tunnel having also been handed a red card for a spicy exchange with the Benfica boss.

One-word insult rival coach said to Mourinho

Speaking after the contest, Mourinho lifted the lid on his clash with Gonzalez and stated it stemmed from the Porto coach’s continual use of a one-word insult.

“He called me a traitor 50 times,” Mourinho said.

“I’d like him to explain to me a traitor to what?

“I went to FC Porto, I gave my soul to FC Porto, I went to Chelsea, I went to Inter, I went to Real Madrid, I went around the world and gave 24 hours of my life every day. That’s called professionalism.

“When he went to Marseille, did he betray FC Porto? He could have insulted me in another way, maybe he would have thought it better, but I think it’s an attack on my professionalism.

“I don’t like it. Insults from fans are one thing, it’s football. These are the same fans who were at my feet when I was walking around the city.

“Now, from a fellow professional… He’s a professional like me, he’s defended several jerseys throughout his career, I don’t understand.

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“Traitor, why? For giving everything to Benfica?”

When did Mourinho manage Benfica’s arch rivals?

Perhaps Gonzalez was referencing Mourinho’s stint as Porto manager from January 2002 to June 2004.

As Porto boss, Mourinho led the club to two league titles as well as a Champions League crown in 2004.

Mourinho departed shortly after the Champions League win to Chelsea, with Gonzalez joining the Portuguese giants a year later.

The 63-year-old then went on to manage a raft of Europe’s most iconic teams before returning to Portuguese football last September with Benfica, the club he began his managerial career with, having been axed by Fenerbahce.

Can Benfica still win any trophies this season?

However, Mourinho faces an uphill battle to bring silverware to Benfica in his first season back at the club as Sunday’s result left them seven points adrift of league leaders Porto.

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Jose Mourinho's managerial career at a glance

September 2000 – December 2000: Benfica, 11 games

July 2001 – January 2002: Uniao de Leiria, 23 games

January 2002 – June 2004: Porto, 127 games

June 2004 – September 2007: Chelsea, 185 games

June 2008 – May 2010: Inter Milan, 108 games

May 2010 – June 2013: Real Madrid, 178 games

June 2013 – December 2015: Chelsea, 136 games

May 2016 – December 2018: Manchester United, 144 games

November 2019 – April 2021: Tottenham Hotspur, 86 games

July 2021 – January 2024: AS Roma, 138 games

June 2024 – August 2025: Fenerbahce, 62 games

September 2025 – present: Benfica, 36 games*

Yet the icon remains optimistic about his side catching Porto late in the campaign.

“There’s still 27 points up for grabs,” Mourinho said.

“I consider recovering seven points to be difficult.

“I’ve been saying this since the beginning of the season. It’s very easy to identify how FC Porto plays, very difficult to play against them. And I don’t think it will be easy for FC Porto to lose more points.

“But as long as it’s just mathematics, anything can happen.”