Mourinho explodes after another shocking incident: “Me, a traitor...?”
The Benfica coach was sent off in the final stretch of the derby against Porto and commented on everything that happened in the press room.
Benfica salvaged a draw in the derby at the Estádio da Luz against Porto when the game seemed lost. Even so, José Mourinho was far from satisfied and was sent off after exploding at the opposing team’s bench.
The Portuguese coach later explained why he received the red card. Footage shows him kicking the ball towards the Porto bench, but he offered his own version of events: “The referee said he sent me off because I kicked the ball towards the Porto bench. That’s completely false. Many times, in our own half, I kick the ball towards the stands to give a lucky fan a chance. I know I’m not very good technically, but it was meant for the stands,” he said.
Mourinho also explained the reason for his anger with the opposing coaching staff, which led him to lose his temper. “He (a member of Porto’s coaching staff) called me a traitor 50 times. I’d like him to explain that to me: a traitor to what? I went to Porto, I gave my all to Porto, I went to Chelsea, I went to Inter, to Real Madrid. I travelled the world and gave 24 hours of my life every day. That’s called professionalism,” he said angrily.
The coach reiterated what had bothered him most: “Insults from the fans are one thing, it’s football. They’re the same fans who harassed me while I was walking around the city. But coming from a fellow professional is different. He’s a professional like me, he’s worn several jerseys throughout his career, and I don’t understand it. A traitor for what? For giving his all for Benfica? Tomorrow, when I go to Estrela da Amadora, to Moreirense, to União de Leiria, I’ll give my all. I didn’t like it,” he emphasised.
In a heated statement, Mourinho also criticised the fourth official, who stayed close to him throughout the match: “I was sent off. The fourth official did a terrible job during the game and continued to do so when I told the referee that I had kicked the ball.”
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