Jose Mourinho relishes reunion with 'wounded' Real Madrid in Champions League

LISBON – Benfica manager Jose Mourinho has warned his players that Real Madrid will be dangerous opponents in their Champions League playoff on Tuesday as the “wounded” Spanish giants arrive in Lisbon nursing bruised pride.

The playoff first leg at the Estadio da Luz pits Benfica against a side still smarting from a chaotic 4-2 loss to the Portuguese club in last month’s league phase of the competition.

That defeat denied Real automatic passage to the last 16 in extraordinary fashion. With Benfica leading 3-2 but heading out, goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin went forward for a free kick and headed in a 98th-minute equaliser, sending Mourinho’s side through to the playoff round on goal difference.

Now the pair meet again, and Jose Mourinho expects a backlash.

“If beating Real once is difficult, imagine beating them twice or three times, which is probably what we will have to do. A big team that loses and is wounded is dangerous,” Moutinho told a press conference on Monday.

“I know that feeling very well because it is something I have always known as I have been fortunate enough to only coach big teams throughout my career. Real Madrid’s motivation is not to eliminate Benfica but to win the Champions League. For our part, it is to win and to know very well what we did to win the last game.”

Mourinho said he expected a different contest this time, with Real improving under manager Alvaro Arbeloa, who had been in charge for only two weeks when the sides last met, after replacing Xabi Alonso.

“We know very well that the game will not be a carbon copy. We know that they have made significant progress as a team despite having had little time. What I asked my players is to play with great joy because they deserve to be here,” Mourinho said, recalling Benfica’s dismal Champions League start, with losses to Qarabag, Chelsea, Newcastle and Bayer Leverkusen.

“My players started with four games and zero points. They had to get nine points playing against Juventus, Real Madrid and Napoli. They really deserve to be here.

“And it’s much better to be here, in the Champions League qualifiers, against a team of Real Madrid’s stature than against a lower-level team. Let’s enjoy tomorrow’s game, get a result that allows us to compete in the second leg and play with joy.”

Mourinho also spoke warmly of Arbeloa, his former right back during his spell in charge at Real, though his admiration will be put aside when the game kicks off.

“I hope Arbeloa wins LaLiga and much more and has a long career with Real Madrid. He’s a great guy and he deserves it… but I would love to knock Real Madrid out,” Jose Mourinho said.