José Mourinho was an authentic trailblazer, his astonishing success in Portugal, then abroad, paving the way for a series of Portuguese coaches to be trusted and hired by many of the world’s biggest clubs.

While the likes of Leonardo Jardim in France, Paulo Fonseca in Ukraine, Vítor Pereira in China, and Jorge Jesus and Abel Ferreira in Brazil – to name just a few – have overseen memorable triumphs at their clubs, it is in Portugal’s lower leagues that the “next Mourinhos” are currently honing their skills.

In the first of a series of interviews by James Rowe on football personalities with close links to the Portuguese game, 33-year-old Tiago Mota talks about his fledgling career and his ambitions. 

• Benfica
• UEFA Champions League
• Gilberto
• Roman Yaremchuk
• Dynamo Kyiv
• Barcelona
• Bayern Munich

Benfica are through to the next round of the UEFA Champions League after pairing Barcelona’s 3-0 defeat to Bayern Munich with a 2-0 victory at home against Dynamo Kyiv, this Wednesday.

The Eagles needed results to go their way in both Group E fixtures to overtake Barça, sitting two points ahead going into the final games.

As Jorge Jesus’ men raced to a 2-0 lead at the Estádio da Luz against Dynamo Kyiv, Bayern Munich did their bit against the Culés, putting three goals past the Catalan outfit to send Benfica and the Germans through.

It may have recently fallen out of the top five ranked footballing leagues on the planet, but the top flight in Portugal is home to some of the biggest teams around. FC Porto, SL Benfica and Sporting CP are regular participants in the Champions League.

The country has also given us talents such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Bernardo Silva and Bruno Fernandes, three of today’s most high-profile players in the world, making Portuguese football an obvious target for sponsors.

The Portuguese top flight is now officially named the Liga Portugal Bwin, because it is sponsored by Bwin. It has also been the subject of other significant deals, with the likes of Sagres, a beer native to the country, having involvement previously. But it is not just the league itself that can reap the rewards of sponsorship deals, with clubs and players also benefitting. 

• Champions League
• Atletico Madrid
• Ajax

FC Porto have been eliminated from the Champions League after losing 3-1 at home to Atlético Madrid on a tempestuous night of football, with both sides reduced to ten men.

Porto started the night knowing a win would guarantee qualification but a draw may be enough to make progress (as turned out to be the case with AC Milan losing to Liverpool).

But two late goals from Argentine duo Angel Correa and Rodrigo de Paul, on top of Antoine Griezmann’s opener, set Atlético on their way through at the Estádio do Dragão, as unsavoury scenes saw both teams end the game with a red card apiece.

Under more relaxed circumstances, the already-qualified Sporting were again unravelled by a group-topping Ajax side, the hosts cruising through with a 4-2 victory in Amsterdam.