Jose Mourinho’s Benfica just engineered one of the wildest moments in the Champions League, and it has proven a tricky trap that Ineos managed to escape with Ruben Amorim.
Manchester United could only look from afar as the Champions League served up one of the most memorable matchdays in the competition’s illustrious history.
Mourinho’s Benfica beat Real Madrid 4-2 to drop them into playoff positions, while securing their own spot in the last 24 in dramatic fashion.
Man Utd fans will be happy for Mourinho, but it also proved to be a reminder of a tricky trap which Ineos managed to escape with Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford.
Coach of Manchester United Ruben Amorim celebrates the winning goal during the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 Quarter Final Second Leg football match between Manchester United (Man U) and Olympique Lyonnais (OL, Lyon) at Old Trafford stadium on April 17, 2025
Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images
Jose Mourinho’s masterclass hides true story of his season
Mourinho, as bashful as ever, talked a big game after seeing his Benfica side put away Madrid to qualify for the knockouts against all expectations.
He tried to paint this single game as a vindication of his whole tenure at Benfica, but the true story is something else entirely.
For one, Mourinho didn’t even know until late that Benfica needed a fourth, but that can still be forgotten to an extent.
What can’t be forgotten is that this victory papers over the cracks of Benfica’s season, which sees them out of domestic cup competitions and on pace to finish third in the league.
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Considering the Portuguese League is effectively a three-horse race anyway, it’s hardly the sign of a good season under Mourinho.
However, the reality is that all will be forgotten based on this single moment of brilliance, with substantial consistency and excellence remaining a mirage.
That’s a trap that Ineos have managed to escape with Ruben Amorim.
Ruben Amorim had Man Utd in the same trap
Fans can look at Mourinho’s Benfica and tell them not to get fooled with this single result based on a moment of brilliance, but they were doing the same thing with Amorim.
Much like this Benfica vs Real Madrid game, United pulled off something impossible in their win against Lyon in the Europa League last season.
Despite all the doom and gloom, Amorim oversaw some truly impressive wins, like at Anfield this season, the FA Cup win against Arsenal last season, or the Manchester Derby victory last year.
However, those were all moments that papered over the cracks that led to him being sacked with a win rate of 31% in the league.
Ultimately, these big moments can cloud the judgement of the executives when they need to be looking at the big picture.
Fortunately, Ineos escaped this tricky trap under Amorim by sacking him, and will hope to build something long-lasting now.
Moments are special, but they don’t define eras. Excellence does.
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