Jose Mourinho has delivered one of his trademark post-match rants, even though his Benfica side ended up winning 2-0.
The manager orchestrated the victory over Portuguese minnows Atletico CP but hammered his players afterwards, speaking about betrayal and declaring that he should have made nine substitutions at half time.
In the end it was four players who ended up being hauled off before the second 45 minutes of the fourth-round cup game.
In the post-match interview, the legendary 62-year-old boss said: ‘Our first half was poor. And it was poor in the sense that hurts me the most, which is when you’re poor in attitude.
‘There were many players who weren’t serious, who didn’t approach things as they should have. At half-time, I made four substitutions, but I would have liked to have made nine.
‘At half-time, I identified in the locker room the players I would gladly keep on. There were two who wanted to play. Games are to be taken seriously. The other nine weren’t.
Jose Mourinho lambasted his players after they narrowly avoided a cup upset
Benfica made it through 2-0 against Atletico CP and Mourinho made four half-time changes
‘In the second half, obviously, we improved a lot. Atlético couldn’t get out of their own half as they usually do, get throw-ins, that kid has a fantastic ability to put the ball into the box… It was only a matter of time before we scored.
‘If we had scored earlier, the result would certainly have been more decisive. But the attitude in the second half improved, we were completely dominant. I didn’t like the first half,’ he told RTP.
He went on: ‘The attitude was poor. I was calm at half-time, but I was very honest. I said there were things I wouldn’t accept.
‘I didn’t make five changes because I couldn’t play 45 minutes without a single substitution. But I made four and I think they changed the game because of the intensity and seriousness.’
One of the few players who wasn’t substituted in the match was young forward Rodrigo Rego. When asked about him he said: ‘He is set to continue. I can’t say if he’ll remain a starter, or if he’ll play next Tuesday or not.
‘But I’m paying close attention, even though I’ve only been here a short time, to the youth players. And I knew one thing about him is I couldn’t predict if he would have a great game, if he would have a lot of quality in his play, but I knew he wouldn’t let me down. And I don’t like players who let me down.
‘Rego played a very positive, balanced game; he was one of the two I wouldn’t have taken off at half-time.’
Benfica remain third in the Portuguese top flight and when asked about whether his messages are getting through to the squad, Mourinho replied: ‘The message is a general message, from Benfica supporters. In my case, I am the Benfica coach and the responsibility is mine, but the players also have one, fundamentally towards Benfica supporters.
Mourinho spoke about his disappointment with the attitude of his players
‘And in terms of attitude, there are things that are non-negotiable and that I cannot accept. I am sure that Benfica forgives many things in general, but it does not forgive a lack of attitude.
‘The responsibility lies with the manager, and with me. When I criticize the players, I’m criticizing myself for not getting the best out of them. That’s implicit. When I criticise the team and the players, I’m criticising myself.’
Atletico CP are a small team in Lisbon, currently in the third tier of Portuguese football and it would have been hugely embarrassing for Benfica to slip up against them.
But the banana skin was just about avoided, albeit with Mourinho still angered by his team’s display.
The former Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Man United manager has been in charge since September after he was dismissed by Fenerbahce.
They have lost all four of their games in the Champions League so far and sit second bottom in the group stage table, with pressure mounting on Mourinho.
Next up is a trip to face Ajax on Tuesday.
