Chelsea Edges Out Benfica in Close Match Amid Mourinho’s Return

Shortly after the 60-minute mark, Chelsea fans began singing the name of their former manager, Jose Mourinho. Standing on the sidelines dressed in a white shirt, blue trousers, and brogues, Mourinho waved to the crowd, highlighting the lingering admiration for him.

Despite his long career at clubs like Manchester United, Tottenham, Inter, and Real Madrid, Mourinho’s previous stints were often marred by bitterness. Now, as his career winds down and he finds himself in familiar, underdog territory, he receives warmth from supporters that he seems to crave.

The match was not one-sided; Benfica, who scored an own goal in the 19th minute—Richard Rios turning in a cross from Alejandro Garnacho—played competitively and created several chances. As the game progressed, Benfica dominated the late stages, with opportunities that could have equalized, lacking only a bit more composure or luck.

In the final moments, Mourinho was booked for mild dissent, and Benfica’s Joao Pedro was sent off after two quick yellow cards. Although Benfica pressed hard for an equalizer, they were ultimately unable to capitalize.

Mourinho appeared relaxed before kickoff, exchanging handshakes and even sharing a hug with former player Joe Cole. However, his first disciplinary incident came just two minutes into the game when he was cautioned for standing outside his technical area too closely to the players.

During the match, Benfica showed momentum in the second half, creating dangerous moments that were thwarted by Chelsea’s defenders. Despite their efforts, Chelsea struggled to find consistent attacking rhythm, with subs and tactical changes failing to spark a breakthrough. The game ultimately ended with a narrow Chelsea win and some frustrations, especially for Mourinho, who seemed dissatisfied at the final whistle.