“Benfica faces uncertainties with Mourinho and an open future.”

Benfica is adrift, a hostage to external decisions and lacking its own direction. The management of the club in the last season was a spectacle of indecision, amateurism, and submission to outside forces, in a scenario that embarrasses any minimally demanding supporter. After all, in a club with the history and stature of Sport Lisboa and Benfica, the true power lies with others.

The professional football of Benfica, now under the management of Rui Costa, is experiencing a deep identity crisis. The coaching staff, led by José Mourinho, has faced internal and external criticism since the start of the 2025-2026 season, but those who should be making firm decisions seem to have lost control of the ship. The major question that has lingered for months is whether Mourinho will remain in charge or if there will be a revolution in the squad, with several departures and arrivals, something that has never been clearly defined by the club.

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In the midst of this turmoil, the only certainty was Benfica’s dependence on José Mourinho—not only due to the contract that still binds him to the club, but also because of the pending renewal proposal, which is contingent on events unrelated to the Luz club. What happened? Benfica’s future has come to rest in the hands of Real Madrid president, Florentino Pérez.

Yes, you read that right. The next coach of Benfica was chosen by Florentino Pérez. The leader of Real Madrid determined the direction of the team for the 2026-2027 season. A surreal scenario that reveals the extreme fragility of Rui Costa’s leadership. The president of Benfica, a central figure in a century-old institution of global renown, has shown himself incapable of taking command of his own house. Instead, he allowed a historic rival to dictate the club’s fate.

Florentino Pérez, by acknowledging mistakes, calling for early elections, and emerging victorious, demonstrated a strength that Rui Costa could not match. Benfica’s management has been marked by uncertainty and passivity, failing to outline a clear project or even define who should lead the coaching staff. Rui Costa neither knew nor wanted to decide where Benfica should go or with whom. And that indecision has come at a high cost.

Today, the truth is this: Benfica is no longer held hostage by Mourinho, thanks to Florentino Pérez and not Rui Costa. A humiliation for a club that should be in control of its own destiny. Benfica managed from the outside has exposed the leadership’s incapacity and lack of strategic vision, leaving fans frustrated and the team’s future shrouded in doubt. If this is the direction Benfica wants to take, the coming times promise to be even more turbulent for the eagles.

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