Mourinho finally reacts to Champions League Prestianni controversy: “I will never look at him the same”
The Benfica coach also addressed Arbeloa's comments and the incident between the Argentine and the Brazilian.
José Mourinho finally spoke publicly ahead of Benfica’s latest Portuguese league match after several appearances in which he remained silent. In the previous league game, he only spoke to the club’s TV channel, and he did not appear for the Champions League.
The Portuguese coach addressed the hot topic dominating Benfica headlines: the incident between Gianluca Prestianni and Real Madrid’s Vinicius during the Champions League clash at Estádio da Luz.
“If my player Prestianni did not respect these principles, which are mine and Benfica’s, his career with a coach named Mourinho and at a club like Benfica comes to an end,” Mourinho said, issuing a clear warning to the young Argentine. He later softened the statement, emphasizing that Prestianni deserves the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.
“The presumption of innocence is a right, but I have to put many ‘ifs’ in front of it. If you want me to repeat what I repudiate twenty times, I will. UEFA did not include the ‘if…’ that should have been included. If the player is really guilty, I will never look at him the same way, and that’s final for me, but I have to include the ‘ifs’ first,” Mourinho clarified.
Clarifying comments on Arbeloa and Real Madrid
Mourinho also addressed remarks made by Álvaro Arbeloa, saying, “I love Álvaro, and I will continue to, but I believe I was the one who made the right decision, not him. I mentioned it in the Madrid press conference when I was confronted with Álvaro’s comments and a player’s accusation against Prestianni and the Real Madrid player’s defense. I said, ‘I want to be balanced, neither defending my team nor attacking the other.’ I even used the term, ‘I don’t want to wear the red shirt, Benfica, or the white one, Real Madrid.’ I want to be impartial in a case that could be very serious.”
Mourinho doubles down on Prestianni
Mourinho returned to the Prestianni issue, emphasizing the balance between principle and presumption of innocence. “What I said, so you can take ten minutes to read the statement, relates to the presumption of innocence. As a person who rejects any kind of prejudice or stupidity, I repeat: if my player did not respect these principles, his career with a coach named Mourinho and at a club like Benfica ends. I am not an expert, but I am not ignorant either. Presumption of innocence is a right. If you want me to repeat what I repudiate twenty times, I will. Unfortunately, UEFA removed the player from the match citing article 4206328 and did not include the ‘if…’ that should have been part of the decision. If the player is truly guilty, I will never look at him the same way, and that’s final, but I have to include the ‘ifs’ first.”
On missing the Bernabéu due to suspension
Mourinho reflected on being unable to sit on the bench at the Santiago Bernabéu because of suspension. “Being away from the team saddened me, but the work was done. Being on the bus is my usual practice; I had four monitors, and at the end of the match I only missed the contact, the emotion, the adrenaline. Perhaps in the future, modern technologies will give head coaches that level of control.”
The jersey swap controversy
He also commented on the dispute involving Benfica player Sidny Lopes Cabral and the request to swap shirts with Vinicius. “The shirt issue could have been avoided. It is normal for players to exchange jerseys, especially in important and memorable matches. It is even more natural with players they identify with, admire, or have been teammates with. This could have been prevented given what happened during the week.”
On his future and Real Madrid rumors
Finally, Mourinho addressed speculation about a possible return to Real Madrid. “There is one thing I control: my will and my emotions. You are all good professionals, but sometimes things slip, hints of important matters. After the issues with Real Madrid matches, some clung to the idea that I had missed the chance to return, that they missed a signal or were not competent enough to seize it. You asked if it was possible for me to say no, and I said yes. Do you think I would say no to Florentino if I wanted to go back to Real Madrid? I have many faults, but am I stupid? I was objective in saying I wanted to stay. You just didn’t capture my objectivity.
“I was the one who suggested I wanted to stay at Benfica, but you didn’t understand. I only want to stay in one league, not play in two: the real and the virtual. Right now we are playing in both, and I only want to play in one. I want to stay and respect my contract with Benfica. If they want to renew it, I will do so without dispute.”
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