Jose Mourinho, the head coach of "Benfica," has decided not to communicate with journalists before and after the return match of the Champions League against "Real Madrid." The Portuguese coach took advantage of a provision in UEFA regulations that allows suspended coaches to delegate their assistants to conduct press conferences. Due to his red card in the first match, which was triggered by an emotional reaction to the actions of referee François Letexier, Mourinho will not be able to attend the game at the "Santiago Bernabéu." The suspension excludes him from the technical area and prohibits contact with the team during the match.
The situation surrounding the match escalated amid a racist scandal that arose after the first game in Lisbon. "Real" forward Vinicius Junior reported insults directed at him from Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni. As a result, UEFA temporarily suspended the Argentine from matches for one game and launched an investigation. Mourinho also faced criticism for his comments suggesting that Vinicius's goal celebration could have provoked a negative reaction from the stands. The organization Kick It Out expressed condemnation regarding this matter, while former England defender Rio Ferdinand voiced support for the Portuguese coach. Before the return match in Madrid, "Benfica" is trailing 0:1 on aggregate over two matches.
