The Benfica coach ahead of the clash with Conte: “Not having De Bruyne but having McTominay is the same thing. I have some key absences, but I’m not going to cry about it.”

Years and teams come and go, but José Mourinho remains unmatched in his sharp-tongued press conferences, just like in the good old days. On the eve of Benfica’s Champions League match against Antonio Conte’s Napoli, Mou strikes back in his own way. “Is it an advantage to know Italian teams? I don’t know, maybe it’ll take me less time to analyze them compared to another team or a culture I’m not familiar with,” explains the Portuguese coach. “The fact that I know them well doesn’t mean the challenges are any easier or that their quality is any lower. They’re a very strong team that has won two championships in quick succession and plays differently than they did at the start of the season—unfortunately for us… I much prefer the way they play now compared to how they played before.”

long bench—  “We played a good game against Sporting,” Mou continues, “we were stronger against an opponent that has won two championships in a row. We were penalized early in the game by an individual error from two of our players, something that has happened to us in recent matches. Against Chelsea, it was an excellent game; we lost due to an own goal, just like in the league. We’ve always lost because of individual errors. Tactically, the team is stronger. Napoli don’t have Lukaku? Don’t make me laugh about missing players, because not having De Bruyne but having McTominay is the same thing. I have some key absences, but I don’t want to complain. Napoli’s bench is different; if you look at who’s playing, forget who’s missing. By changing their system of play, they’ve become a better team.”