The president of Benfica guarantees that José Mourinho is earning “the lowest salary than since he left Portugal”. Rui Costa also says that he has restored the club’s credibility in recent years after the departure of Luís Filipe Vieira.
Benfica began the time to win the Super Cup and ensure qualification for the group stage. The month of September brought another reality and results that did not please the fans.
A draw and a defeat in the Champions League dictated Bruno Lage’s removal. But the president of Benfica denies that there was already a plan to replace the coach, as well as previous contacts with José Mourinho.
“These are things that do not exist,” says Rui Costa, in an interview with TVI/CNN Portugal.
A call was enough for Rui Costa to convince Mourinho to return to Benfica, again in an electoral period and with a smaller salary.
“It is a valuable contract, but it is not above what was Roger Schmidt, for example (…) is the lowest salary that Mourinho has since leaving Portugal. The desire to come to Benfica was one of the things that made me believe much more that it is the ideal coach for Benfica. He was responsible for realizing the reality of Portuguese football and Benfica, who is in the election period,” says the club president.
“Benfica had no problems with justice”
Benfica elections are scheduled for October 25th. Rui Costa has six opponents, one of them is Luís Filipe Vieira, with whom he lived for 14 years and at this time has no personal relationships.
“Benfica had no problems with justice anymore. During these four years, he never had. If there was an important and well done thing I did in this term was to return Benfica’s credibility.”
Rui Costa also admitted that Benfica’s accounts were better in Filipe Vieira’s management. At 53, the former footballer is applied for the second term in front of the ‘eagles’ and dreams of the presence in the Champions League semi-finals, alongside José Mourinho.
