José Mourinho has taken his frustrations with his current team to a new level, literally. After their 3-1 defeat by Braga in the Portuguese League Cup semi-finals, Mourinho announced that his players would be staying at the club's Seixal training base until further notice.
When asked about his plan for the squad, Mourinho explained, "The players will sleep in Seixal, and on Thursday there is training, and the day after there will be training. When we arrive in Seixal, everyone will go to their rooms." In a bizarre statement, he added, "I hope the players sleep as well as I do, which is to say that they don't sleep at all. That's what I wish for them. That they don't sleep and instead think a lot, like I'm going to."
Benfica president Rui Costa has since clarified that this decision was not intended as punishment but rather as a precaution for the next games. The team had planned to stay at Seixal after the game in Leiria, where they will now face Porto in the Portuguese Cup quarter-final.
Despite the defeat, Mourinho expressed his dissatisfaction with the performance of his team, stating that the first half was "awful, inexplicable." He also questioned their overall mentality, suggesting that there was a lack of response to his team talk. The 62-year-old coach has taken responsibility for the loss but remains critical of his players' performance.
The match marked another setback for Benfica this season, with the team currently sitting 10 points behind leaders Porto in the league and struggling in the Champions League.
When asked about his plan for the squad, Mourinho explained, "The players will sleep in Seixal, and on Thursday there is training, and the day after there will be training. When we arrive in Seixal, everyone will go to their rooms." In a bizarre statement, he added, "I hope the players sleep as well as I do, which is to say that they don't sleep at all. That's what I wish for them. That they don't sleep and instead think a lot, like I'm going to."
Benfica president Rui Costa has since clarified that this decision was not intended as punishment but rather as a precaution for the next games. The team had planned to stay at Seixal after the game in Leiria, where they will now face Porto in the Portuguese Cup quarter-final.
Despite the defeat, Mourinho expressed his dissatisfaction with the performance of his team, stating that the first half was "awful, inexplicable." He also questioned their overall mentality, suggesting that there was a lack of response to his team talk. The 62-year-old coach has taken responsibility for the loss but remains critical of his players' performance.
The match marked another setback for Benfica this season, with the team currently sitting 10 points behind leaders Porto in the league and struggling in the Champions League.
he's literally taking away their homes away from them just because they didn't perform well on the field... I get that he's frustrated but does he have to be so dramatic about it? 
and now his players are going to stay up all night thinking 'bout the game... like that's really going to help them 
. Can you imagine how tired they're gonna be for their next match against Porto? 
but at the same time benfica needs a change somehow they've been struggling and it's like they're not listening to mourinho's strategy anymore 
what does he want from them? more discipline or just a fresh start? 
I mean, who needs sleep when you can just think deep thoughts all night? It sounds like he's trying too hard to motivate his players, but honestly, it's just gonna backfire and make them more tired and grumpy 
. And what's with the scheduling thing? Thursday and Friday training sessions? That sounds like a recipe for disaster 
. I think he should just chill out and let the guys relax after that tough game 
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. Hopefully they can turn things around and make some progress 
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. And what's with the 'don't sleep' comment? Like he expects them to be all focused and energized 24/7? That's just not how it works, mate.
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about a loss. Keeping the guys at Seixal until further notice? That's just a bit excessive 
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? I'm not sure how that's gonna happen 
️. But Mourinho needs to find a better way to motivate his team than this. Maybe focus on building their confidence and getting them back on track 
?
I mean, I get that he's frustrated with their performance, but this is just ridiculous. And what's with all these "no sleep" comments? Is he trying to make some kind of point about mental toughness or something? Newsflash: you can't coach a team into being mentally tough by telling them they have to go without sleep 
! I mean, who sleeps when they're supposed to be preparing for their next game? 
. And what's with the comment about not sleeping and thinking a lot like him? Is that supposed to motivate them or is he just trolling 
. It's not like he's trying to punish them, but more like he wants to isolate himself from the situation 
. I mean, who needs sleep when you're a football coach? 
, but it comes across as a bit... intense 
. On the other hand, I guess if his team is struggling like this, maybe they do need a kick in the pants 
. The question is, will it work? Or just make things worse 
. Anyway, at least Benfica is being honest about their struggles – 10 points behind Porto and struggling in the Champions League isn't something to be ashamed of 
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i mean, benfica already has a bad season and now this? they need to get their game face on ASAP! Mourinho can talk about his team talk all he wants, but at the end of the day, it's up to the players to execute 
oh man, José Mourinho is at it again! I gotta say, while he's being super harsh on his players, I think there's actually some method to his madness 
. And who knows, maybe he's just trying to motivate them with a little bit of competition... against their own exhaustion 
. Still gotta wonder what Benfica is gonna do about this though... are they gonna crack under the pressure or rise to the challenge 
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. But come on, guys! Don't make your coach want to pull his hair out 
! Get it together, Benfica! 
. They need some actual coaching and guidance, not just wishful thinking