Benfica have everything on the line this Wednesday at the Santiago Bernabeu as they face Real Madrid in the second leg of the 2026 UEFA Champions League knockout phase playoff. At stake is a place in the Round of 16; however, for this crucial encounter, the Portuguese side will be without Jose Mourinho on the sidelines.
Mourinho is prohibited from managing the match in person after being sent off by referee Francois Letexier during the first leg at the Estadio da Luz. As a result, he must serve a one-match touchline ban.
“I will not sit on the bench, I will not be able to go to the locker room, nor communicate with the team,” Mourinho stated during a press conference following the 1-0 first-leg defeat. “It will be difficult for me, but my colleagues and assistants will be there doing a great job”.
In addition to the absence of their head coach, Benfica will also be without Gianluca Prestianni. Following the incidents involving Vinicius Jr. in the first leg, UEFA made a final decision to uphold the midfielder’s suspension, rejecting an appeal from the club to have the Argentine available for today’s match.
Mourinho criticizes officiating following suspension
With Real Madrid holding a 1-0 lead and tensions high at the Estadio da Luz following the incident between Vinicius Jr. and Prestianni, the Brazilian forward committed a foul that many believed warranted a second yellow card and a subsequent sending-off.
However, referee Francois Letexier opted not to issue the booking, sparking an angry reaction from Mourinho. The French official cautioned the Portuguese manager for his protests, but as Mourinho continued to voice his frustrations, Letexier issued a second yellow card, resulting in his expulsion from the match.
“I was sent off for saying something very obvious,” a visibly frustrated Mourinho said during the post-match press conference. “The referee has a script that says Tchouameni, Huijsen and Carreras cannot see a yellow. I have 1,400 matches on the bench and I knew who he could card and who he couldn’t. We know how this works”.
In Mourinho’s absence, assistant coach Joao Tralhao will lead Benfica at the Santiago Bernabeu. Tralhão also addressed the situation, describing the dismissal of the two-time Champions League winner as “exaggerated” during his pre-match briefing.
“We feel it was an exaggerated situation,” Tralhao stated. “He is our leader; he is present, and football forces us to adapt. I cannot speak with him during the match, but he will always be with us. His ideas and those of the club will be defended”.