Khaberni - Benfica coach José Mourinho appeared at a press conference this morning to answer questions from journalists about the possibility of his transferring to Real Madrid.
During the press conference held before his team's match against Sporting Braga tomorrow Monday, the "Special One" denied having spoken to anyone from Real Madrid regarding his potential move to "Santiago Bernabeu".
He said: "The talk about Real Madrid continues, and I avoid delving into this topic, but honestly, I have not communicated with the president or any other important figure in the club"
He added: "It's the clubs that show interest and start the contracting procedures with those they want, whether players or coaches or administrators."
Benfica’s coach wanted to clarify that he is focused on his team, although he did not rule out the possibility of changing the scene in the summer: "In the final stages of the season, I don't talk to anyone. I haven't communicated with anyone, and I won’t do so until the Estoril game (the last game of the league). After that, there will be a one-week period where I will be free to talk to whoever I deem necessary. But all that has been published about meetings is just speculation."
Subtle Hint
Despite the "emphatic denial" of current contact, his statements carried undertones confirming that his departure from Lisbon is only a matter of time. Meanwhile, the newspaper "A Bola" points to Marco Silva, the current Fulham coach, as a prominent candidate to succeed Mourinho at Benfica.
This controversy comes as Real Madrid journeys to "Camp Nou" to play a deeply troubled Clásico. The team is not only missing the "La Liga" title but also suffers from unprecedented internal strife; starting from the incident of a fight between Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni that shook the team's locker room, to the overwhelming pressures facing the French star Kylian Mbappé.
These circumstances have made Mourinho's return a pressing demand from Real Madrid's president Florentino Perez in order to restore order in the locker room.
