Mourinho: Satisfied with promotion but the team lacks rhythm. Newcastle are very tough and difficult to conquer at home

In the third round of the Portuguese Cup on October 18, Benfica defeated Chavez 2-0 in an away game and advanced to the next round. After the game, Mourinho accepted interviews with RTP3 and SportTV. He expressed dissatisfaction with the team's performance, but was satisfied with the smooth promotion.

■About this game

Mourinho said: "I think we controlled the game, but I am not happy because the way we prepared is different. We wanted to attack more rhythmically and with more intensity, but we played too slowly. We have been playing very calmly, and the early goals made the team more relaxed. As a result, we spent too much time passing easily on the outside, lacking depth, and lacking penetration. The second half was better, we were more Attack in the opponent's half with the intention of killing the game. It's a pity that we didn't really seal the victory until the end of the game. But no matter what, I always like to give credit to the opponent when they perform. Felipe is a good coach and it is never easy to face such a defensive line. There have been similar situations in recent national team games. The defensive line also created difficulties. Our goal was achieved. I tell the players that the story of the Portuguese Cup is always the battle between the ‘giant killer’ and the champion, which no one else will remember. The first step we took was fairly smooth. "

■When asked about the extent to which the team absorbed his philosophy between the last game with Porto,

Mourinho said: "I can say that during this period I only led the team in training yesterday and the day before yesterday. Other days we only have five or six players. We trained yesterday and the day before yesterday with the squad that played today. We did do some things we had trained in the game, but the pace was too slow, whether it was pressing, conducting, or finding depth. There was not much training time, but we also learned some content through videos, and we were expecting to have more execution today. ”

■Is this game as difficult as you expected?

"Yes... we scored soon after the opening, and usually the most difficult thing in this kind of game is to get the first goal. What dissatisfied me is that although we had the ball in the first half, we lacked aggressiveness and had no intention to threaten the opponent, find depth, or end the game as soon as possible . We gave Chavez 5 to 10 minutes to counterattack, and they were very threatening in the second half. We created some opportunities and played more purposefully. If you ask me, am I satisfied with the overall result of the team. Physical performance? It looks good from the position, but the intensity is too low. The national team competition is no excuse. These starting players have been training under me in the past few days. They are not the main players or have not played many games in the national team. So this is not a reason. But I have to give credit to Chavez and coach Felipe, who I've always admired. His team is well organized and uses a tactical system that is difficult to break down. The Chavez players deserve credit for playing tenaciously and making things difficult for us. ”

■Does scoring an early goal relax the team mentally?

"I don't really like to use the 'subconscious' explanation. When the game seems to be getting easier, that's exactly when you should end it. I told the players at halftime that we were playing with fire. They did improve significantly after that. From the beginning of the second half, we played more rhythmically, with more depth, and made better use of the space in the middle. The performance was better."

■You hardly made many adjustments to the starting lineup. Is this some kind of signal to the team?

"It shows respect for Benfica, for the history of the club, for Chávez and their hope to win, and also for the Portuguese Cup. We want to win this trophy. I fielded what I thought was the strongest squad. Obviously, it was almost impossible to play Rios and Otamendi. Yes, they have just returned from the national team. Today I chose players who have not played for the national team. Some people are exhausted after returning, and some lack the rhythm of the game. For example, Lukbakio has not played a minute in the national team, but he is already "out of gas."

■ How to evaluate Joao Rego's performance? He was replaced at halftime...

"Yes, this is related to the yellow card he received. There was no problem at the beginning of this game, but for young players, there is always a worry that they will get a second yellow card because of emotional fouls during the confrontation. Felipe's side also took the halftime break Substituting a centre-back who had a yellow card at the break... We don't necessarily have to do that, but there are risks with certain types of players. Then I wanted to bring on Kjedrup in the hope that he could create a one-on-one breakthrough on the left and bring some changes to the team. I usually don't like to evaluate players individually. , but I think Dahl is the player who can best understand and execute our tactical requirements. "

■We have to face Newcastle next...

"A tough battle. They are a very tough team with fierce physical confrontation and high intensity in the midfield. And we are not a team known for high intensity. They have Tonali, Joelinton and Guimarães, plus three or four giants with outstanding physical fitness. And their home ground is special too... Stamford Bridge is a pleasant place to play but St James' Park is not. "