A secret location at the Bernabéu: Mourinho’s latest trick
Rumours suggest that he watched the game from inside the Benfica team bus, on a tablet.
And Mourinho was nowhere to be seen. Although Real Madrid had prepared the radio booth where Flick spotted him during the last Clásico, Mou was absent.
He was in Madrid, he was at the Bernabéu, and that was all anyone knew. Rumours suggested he was watching on a tablet inside the Benfica team bus, rather than from the spot he had indicated.
Once again, it exposed Real Madrid’s shortcomings. A small group of six club employees, including protocol staff and private security, stood by the glass enclosed radio booths twenty minutes before kick off.
Their task was to control access to the booth and later to safeguard the broadcast. As they waited, they had to be ready for any last minute decision from Mourinho, including the possibility that he would simply not appear.
Whether the manager would show up dominated the build up to the match. So did Vinicius. At 8.45 pm, the customary UEFA message against racism and xenophobia was played at the Bernabéu, also in Portuguese. It was aimed at the 4,000 Benfica supporters who, shortly afterwards, directed their hostility at the Brazilian.
When Vini’s name rang out over the stadium’s thunderous PA system, the Benfica fans drowned it out with an even louder chorus of boos. The Real Madrid end responded with a banner reading “No to Racism”. Mourinho saw none of it, at least not from where he was expected to be. Perhaps he followed it on that tablet.
@asusaofficial 🤫 José Mourinho reportedly hid in a secret location to watch Real Madrid vs Benfica in the Champions League. The banned manager had a room prepared at the Bernabéu, but did not use it. #realmadrid #championsleague
♬ Future Static _ Tense _ Late Drive _ Future Trap _ instrumental - Type beats to the world
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