Mourinho Keeps Benfica Players At Training Ground After Braga Defeat

Benfica coach, Jose Mourinho, kept his players at the club’s training ground after their 3-1 defeat by Braga in the Portuguese League Cup semi-finals, saying he wanted them to reflect on the loss rather than rest.

Benfica were knocked out on Wednesday after ending the match with 10 men, following the dismissal of defender Nicolas Otamendi, the former Manchester City centre-back.

The defeat denied Benfica a place in the final and extended a frustrating run under the Portuguese manager.

As reported by BBC Sport on Thursday, speaking at his post-match news conference, Mourinho said the squad would remain at Benfica’s Seixal training base for the coming days, with training sessions scheduled despite the team having no match at the weekend.Rivers Assembly Rejects Political Solution For Fubara

“The players will sleep in Seixal, and on Thursday there is training, and the day after there’s training,” Mourinho said. “Since there’s no final on Saturday, our next game is against Porto next Wednesday.”

Mourinho added that he hoped the players would spend the night thinking about the performance rather than sleeping. “When we arrive in Seixal, everyone will go to their rooms. I hope the players sleep as well as I do, which is to say that they don’t sleep at all,” he said. “That they don’t sleep and instead think a lot, like I’m going to think.”

Mourinho was appointed Benfica manager in September and is in his first season in charge of the Lisbon club. The League Cup exit is a setback as Benfica prepare for a key league match against rivals Porto next week.