Jose Mourinho and his Benfica squad have reportedly been hit by a virus ahead of their clash against the boss’s former club Porto on Sunday.
The Special One had complained of a fever on the eve of Tuesday’s Champions League trip to Chelsea, but was well enough to feature on the side-line in west London.
Now however, days after Benfica’s 1-0 loss at Stamford Bridge, a number of the club’s players and coaching staff as well as Mourinho himself have been struck with a virus, according to Portuguese outlet A Bola.
Those affected are understood to be experiencing ‘headaches’ and ‘body aches’ which it’s feared could keep them out of Sunday’s top of the table Primeira Liga match.
The fixture will see Mourinho return to Porto more than 20 years after he made a name for himself at the club by winning the Champions League.
Porto head into the contest at the top of the Portuguese league while Benfica, who have struggled by their own domestic standards so far this season, sit in third. Last season’s champions Sporting Lisbon are second.
Jose Mourinho and his Benfica squad have reportedly been struck down by illness ahead of their clash against Porto on the weekend
The former Man United boss had complained of a fever before his side’s match against Chelsea on Tuesday
Sunday sees Mourinho return to Porto, where he made a name for himself, more than 20 years after leaving the club
Having been sacked as the boss of Turkish giants Fenerbahce last month, Mourinho took over at Benfica in late-September.
The Eagles headed into their European fixture this week – billed as the return to Chelsea of ‘The Special One’ – unbeaten under their new boss.
However they couldn’t keep that run going, with a Richard Rios own goal earning the hosts a 1-0 win.
The home supporters serenaded Mourinho, who won the Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup at the club, with songs and chants throughout the 90 minutes – something he thanked them for post-match.
Mourinho said: ‘I don’t feed myself with these memories, I feed myself with results. But I thank them. I was focused but you hear a bit of the sound.
‘When I am in London I meet them every day on the street.
‘My desire now is bigger than ever because when I came here first nobody was expecting anything from me.
‘My career took me to a position where everybody thinks I have magic to make things happen.
Mourinho thanked Chelsea fans for their support after his homecoming this week
Benfica however couldn’t get a result, losing 1-0 to Enzo Maresca’s Blues
‘I left Man United after winning things, I left Tottenham after taking them to a final, Roma after two European finals. With me it is never enough.
‘If I am in a job I like to put myself on the line every day. I am desperate to win the match, that is the nature.’
Mourinho delivered three Premier League titles for Chelsea during his two stints at the club, first between 2004 and 2007 and later 2013 to 2015.
Since leaving the Blues a second time, he’s taken charge of United, Spurs, Roma, Fenerbahce and now Benfica.
