At a Glance
- Manchester United sacked Amorim in January
- The Portuguese coach potential next job revealed
- Appointment could be controversial
Former Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim could be set for a return to management in his native Portugal.
According to the Portuguese outlet ZeroZero, Ruben Amorim is a leading candidate to replace Jose Mourinho at Benfica should they part ways. Speaking on their latest podcast, journalist Luís Rocha Rodrigues said: “If Benfica goes for plan B, it will have to try Ruben Amorim.”
It would be a move that would stir the pot in Portugal. Amorim was previously the manager of Sporting CP. Amorim’s former club have enjoyed a renaissance in the Champions League this season. This week, they beat Bodo Glimt 5-0 to secure a place in the quarter-finals.
Mourinho to leave Benfica?
Amorim is no stranger to Benfica either, having played for them between 2008 and 2017. As Aguias are currently managed by Mourinho, who himself was United’s manager between 2016 and 2018, winning the League Cup and Europa League.
Mourinho and his club have been at the centre of the Champions League’s biggest story this season. Gianluca Prestianni was alleged to have racially abused Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr in the play-off round during February’s tie.
Their manager made the headlines for seemingly backing his player after the game, assassinating Vinicius Jr’s character instead of condoning racial abuse. He later made a U-turn, claiming that if found guilty, Prestianni would never play for the club again.
He said: “I also say that if – and, I repeat, if – my player did not respect those principles – which are my principles and those of Benfica, too. Then that player’s career under Jose Mourinho and at Benfica is over.”
Amorim still highly rated
Despite backtracking, it has piled the pressure on the former Chelsea and Spurs manager. Speaking last Sunday, he admitted:
“I want to respect my contract with Benfica and if Benfica wants to stay with me for more years, I’ll sign without adding a single comma, but I don’t want to play two championships anymore.”
The two championships referred to two league tables: a real and a virtual one, following criticism of poor officiating in Liga Portugal.
Should Benfica turn to Amorim, it is a telling sign that his reputation was not entirely destroyed at Old Trafford. The 41-year-old was sacked with a 38.1% win rate across his spell in Manchester.
Those in Portugal still rate him highly as a pragmatic manager. Unfortunately, it was a trait he never really showed under the lights at the Theatre of Dreams.
