Benfica’s shock defeat against Qarabag in Lisbon tonight, on the back of the draw at home to Santa Clara last Friday after playing for an hour with an extra man, have resulted in the dismissal of coach Bruno Lage.
In a press conference that began at 1.20am, Benfica president Rui Costa announced an agreement had been reached with Lage to rescind his contract.
Costa added that a new coach would be in the dugout in time for Benfica’s match at AFS in Vila das Aves in northern Portugal on Saturday, without saying who it would be.
Costa was directly asked if the next coach would be José Mourinho but refused to confirm the strong rumours that the former Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real Madrid manager (among others), who started his career as a head coach at Benfica in the year 2000, was lined up to take over the Lisbon giants.
“The profile of the next coach will have to be a ‘winning coach’,” was as far as Costa went in relation to his choice of the next manager.
However, moments after the press conference finished, Portuguese TV channel CMTV claimed they had confirmation that everything was agreed with Mourinho to return to the Estádio da Luz.
José Mourinho was hired by Benfica on 20 September 2000.
According to growing reports in Portugal, he will take charge of his first game back at the club on Saturday.
All this is being played out in the backdrop of the upcoming presidential elections at Benfica, in one month’s time, with Costa currently lagging behind João Noronha Lopes in the polls.
Costa is no doubt banking on what would be the spectacular appointment of Mourinho “saving his skin” in terms of the presidential election in addition to bringing success back to Benfica, who have won the Portuguese championship in just one of his four years at the helm.
Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen and Napoli will all visit the Estádio da Luz in the coming months but Benfica kicked off the UEFA Champions League league stage by welcoming Azerbaijan champions Qarabağ FK on Tuesday night. It was an apparently favourable clash for the Lisbon giants with the Eagles entering the game as heavy favourites to take all three points. Bruno Lage’s side, however, were put to the test by a spirited and energetic Qarabağ side that challenged them early on and matched them every step of the way.
Benfica took a commanding lead, scoring twice in the first 16 minutes. The visitor, however, responded with a goal in the 30th minute and stunned the home supporters after levelling early in the second half. The Eagles were left frustrated by a well organised Qarabağ defence, and as the game progressed, the home side were stunned with a late knockout blow. Substitute Oleksii Kashchuk came on to record the winner in the 86th minute and pull off a historic upset for the Azerbaijan club.
Benfica go into the break with 2-1 lead after frantic first half
Lage has remained relatively consistent with his starting lineup over the first two months of the season and refrained from making any major changes to a Benfica team that were yet to lose a match this season.
Bosnia and Herzegovina international Amar Dedić returned to the lineup after missing the weekend’s match against Santa Clara due to a suspension. The other notable addition to the starting eleven was Ukrainian Georgiy Sudakov, who was handed his first-ever start for Benfica after his highly publicised move from Shakhtar Donetsk. The attacking midfielder was handed the No. 10 shirt upon his arrival and is expected to take on a pivotal role for the Eagles, playing just behind Vangelis Pavlidis.
Sudakov made his presence felt in the opening minutes, getting involved in the action right away. Benfica earned their first corner of the match in the fifth minute and capitalised on some poor defending. It was an unlikely name that broke the deadlock, with defensive midfielder Barrenechea connecting with a beautifully weighted corner from Sudakov into the penalty area. Barrenechea was unmarked and was barely touched as he leaped onto the ball on the edge of the six-yard box, angling it across the goal it into the far post.
Benfica continued to push forward. Aursnes almost connected with Dedić on a well timed overlapping run in the 9th minute. The keeper, though, was alert and gathered the ball just before the full-back arrived. Aursnes and Dedić continued to work well together down the right side, with Aursnes drifting into the centre and causing problems as the full-back manned the wing.
Sudakov was once again involved for the second goal. In the 15th minute the midfielder found himself with the space just outside the penalty area. After turning, he was able to spot Pavlidis’ run and play a cutting pass. The Ukrainian may consider himself fortunate after the ball bounced off Qarabağ central defenders Kevin Medina and Bahlul Mustafazada and landed at the feet of Pavlidis. The Greek striker was left one-on-one with the keeper inside the box and produced a casual right-footed finish to record his fourth goal of the 2025-26 campaign.
Qarabağ, to their credit, did not fold and did not sit back. The 12-time Azerbaijan league winners stuck with their formation and continued to press up the pitch. Gurban Gurbanov remained with central midfielder hovering above his back four, but continued to push players forward and press Benfica’s defenders.
Portuguese-born Andrade scores for Qarabağ
Qarabağ were eventually rewarded for their courage. The visitors pulled one back in the 30th minute taking advantage when a free kick from the left side of the field was lofted into the box. Benfica’s defenders were unable to clear the danger and it fell at the feet of Leandro Andrade. The Portuguese-born forward rocketed a half-volley past Trubin and into the right side of the goal.
Shortly after their first goal, Qarabağ came close again in the 33rd minute. First, a Camilo Durán header flew just over the bar. Seconds later, a careless pass from António Silva handed the visitors a glorious opportunity to equalise. This time, it was Kady Borges who powered a shot off the post to the relief of Anatoliy Trubin. The danger was not over and from the rebound Trubin had to pull off a sharp save.
Richard Ríos then tried his luck with a long-range effort from the right side of the park. It was an ambitious attempt, and one that didn’t trouble keeper Mateusz Kochalski.
Just before the half, Durán managed to cleverly manoeuvre through the Benfica backline and had a chance to level the match. His shot, though, was well saved by Trubin. Qarabağ would have been confident after some fluid passing produced some dangerous chances in the first half. The visiting side matched Benfica every step of the way, and would have been disappointed going into the break trailing.
Benfica stunned by second-half goals
Qarabağ picked up where they left off in the first half. It didn’t take long for them to level the score. Duran had missed a few clear chances, but was finally able to get on the score sheet in the 48th minute. The Colombian latched onto a perfectly timed through ball from Mustafazada and found the right corner of the goal.
It was a shocking blow for the players and the crowd, with the Luz going silent after Benfica had given up an early two-goal advantage. Suddenly the Eagles were at risk of not only dropping points in their opening CL fixture, but possibly walking away with nothing from this match.
A stunned Benfica regrouped, and as their supporters grew into the match, the home side showed flashes of their quality. In the 54th minute, a driving run from Schjelderup ended with a pass to Rios in the penalty box. the Colombian did well to lose his defender, but his shot sailed wide of the target.
Dedic’s left-foot attempt also cleared the crossbar, but Lage’s side were starting to regain the advantage.
Qarabağ’s Mustafazada had the ball in the net once again in the 64th minute, but the Benfiquistas could breathe a sigh of relief once the assistant referee raised his flag for offside. It was a clear signal to Lage and his players that the visitors were unwilling to sit back and accept a point.
Benfica answered with an attack of their own. Pavlidis was unable to connect with a low cross into the box from the left side after some good defending.
Prestianni and Ivanovic enter the fray
In the 69th minute, Lage finally decided it was time for a change, bringing on Gianluca Prestianni and Franjo Ivanovic for Aursnes and Schjelderup. Pavlidis then emerged with what was probably Benfica’s best chance of the half up until that point, curling a teasing shot over the goal in the 73rd minute.
In the 79th minute, Lage brought on more fresh legs. Leandro Barreiro and Henrique Araújo were tasked with reviving a group that seemed to be running out of ideas.
The changes, however, did not pan out as Lage may have hoped. In a remarkable twist, it was Qarabağ that found a late winner. Benfica’s defenders will have to hold their hands up after simply allowing the Azerbaijan side to tap the ball around in their penalty box. Substitute Oleksii Kashchuk found himself with all the time in the world to turn and fire in a low shot from eight yards out. It was in the simplest of finishes and one that Otamendi and Silva will be frustrated to have allowed.
Lage feeling the heat
What seemed like an exceptional start to the season for Benfica has now turned sour in a very short period of time for Lage and his players. After an uninspiring 2-1 win over newly promoted Alverca prior to the international break, Benfica were held to a 1-1 home draw against Santa Clara on Friday. Tuesday’s Champions League defeat will likely see the pressure pile up on the Portuguese manager, who will have to answer for a string of disappointing performances.
Benfica supporters voice their frustration after the Eagles give up a two-goal lead and are upset in their opening CL league stage game. A memorable win for Azerbaijan club Qarabağ at the Estádio da Luz #Benfica#uefachampionsleaguepic.twitter.com/POun8IB1BR
Moreirense currently sit third in Liga Portugal, surprisingly ahead of the likes of Benfica and Braga.
Only Gil Vicente have managed to take points away from the Minho outfit, with Rio Ave becoming the latest victims to leave Moreira de Cónegos empty-handed, losing 3-1.
In 2018/19, Madeiran manager Ivo Vieira led Moreirense to their best-ever sixth place finish, and 36-year-old head coach Vasco Botelho da Costa will undoubtedly be aiming to replicate that historic campaign.
Costa told reporters: “Good or bad, in the subconscious of players, there is always a slight mistrust when we have three or four negative results in a row. This [sequence of four wins in five] encourages us, but I don’t want results to be the only thing to guide what we do.
“We haven’t reached half of our potential in terms of quality of play, yet.”
Part of the latest generation of promising Portuguese managers (including the likes of Luís Pinto, João Pereira, Vítor Matos and Ruben Amorim), this is the story of PortuGOAL’s latest Figure of the Week. Kevin Fernandes reports.
📺 "A TÁTICA DA SUBIDA"
Luís Pinto e Vasco Botelho da Costa foram os heróis de Tondela e Alverca na promoção à Primeira Liga, mas o tempo para festejar foi curto porque é preciso regressar à sala de aula. Uma conversa entre o "Homem do Leme" e o "Piloto" com muito futebol em… pic.twitter.com/LY6KKzIAOF
While most young football fanatics dream of playing at the highest level, Vasco Botelho da Costa started his career in coaching at just 17 years of age, gaining experience across the youth ranks of local side GDS Cascais.
After seven years, Costa jumped across to Estoril Praia, where he notably led the Canarinhos’ U-23 side to unprecedented back-to-back Liga Revelação and Taça Revelação titles.
In 2022, União de Leiria had seen enough and offered Vasco his first opportunity at the helm of a senior side in professional football.
The result? A Liga 3 title and promotion to Liga Portugal 2, his tenure cut prematurely due to disputes with the board.
Leiria’s loss was Alverca’s gain, as Vinicius Junior’s club from Ribatejo were promoted in their first season back in the second tier.
Five titles and two promotions for the 36-year-old aligned with the long-term project of Moreirense, recently acquired by the Black Night Football Club fund, led by American billionaire Bill Foley, also owner of Bournemouth.
The ‘Pilot’ is already flying high.
Botelho da Costa’s style of play
Vasco Botelho da Costa’s forward-thinking 433 has been widely praised in Portugal.
In build-up, his initial 4+1 shape requires full-backs to typically sit lower, creating space for technically refined midfielders and wingers, resulting in his sides preferring short combinations rather than relying on longer, direct escapes.
Full-backs Dinis Pinto and Francisco Domingues (known as Kiko) are versatile, combining well with their wing partners, capable of inverting or forming a five-man back-line when appropriate, which a pattern that has been repeated in all of his sides.
Vasco looks to empower his players, giving them great freedom in the attacking options they make, where taking on defenders and charging forward with the ball is encouraged, allowing for fluid movement (triangulations, third man and aggressive, line-breaking movements are critical to his style of play).
Alan’s fluid attacking midfield role encapsulates this, capable of floating and causing nightmares to confused markers, either playing closer to the selfless centre-forward Guilherme Schettine or supporting Moreirense’s plethora of quality midfield options (Mateja Stjepanović, Lawrence Ofori, Afonso Assis, Bernardo Martins).
Defensively, Costa’s 442 (out of possession) look to force play wide, with his midfield three tasked with cutting passing lanes and providing balance in man-to-man, calculated pressing efforts.
Central defenders Marcelo and Maracás are dependable box defenders, allowing Moreirense to sit deeper and absorb pressure when required.
Vasco Botelho da Costa’s teams excel in offensive transitions, with his ‘green and whites’ boasting multiple players with great technical quality (Vasco Sousa, Cedric Teguia) and decision-making (Alan, Kiko Bondoso).
Moreirense are certainly a side to watch throughout this 2025/26 Liga Portugal campaign, where more success will surely make Vasco Botelho da Costa one of the hottest properties among a plethora of promising young Portuguese coaches.
The UEFA Champions League is back with new 36-team league phase introduced last season, and Portugal has two proud representatives flying the flag: Sporting CP and Benfica. FC Porto, usually a mainstay, miss out this year and will play in Europa League. That puts extra spotlight — and pressure — on Lisbon’s two giants.
Both clubs arrive with different stories to tell. Sporting stormed their way to the domestic title in 2024/25, playing fearless, attacking soccer. Benfica, meanwhile, never lost touch of their city rivals and fell just short at the last hurdle. Together, they carry the hopes of Portuguese soccer into a Champions League campaign that promises spectacle, sweat, and a little bit of drama.
If any Portuguese side looks built for the new Champions League gauntlet, it’s Sporting. Last season they were relentless at home, ruthless in front of goal, and solid when matches tightened. That mix carried them to the Primeira Liga crown, despite the wobble when coach Ruben Amorim switched to Manchester United. His replacement João Pereira did not last long but the Lions found stability again under Rui Borges and ended the season strongly, winning the Portuguese League and Cup double.
But Sporting’s draw is brutal. Their fixture list includes Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, and Juventus, plus stern tests against Napoli, Marseille, and the ever-awkward Club Brugge. These are fixtures where concentration lapses get punished, and where even a strong performance can end in defeat.
Strengths: Sporting’s strength lies in their stability having largely the same squad as last season. Even the loss of star striker Viktor Gyökeres does not seem to have affected the Green and Whites much, with his replacement Luis Suárez hitting the ground running. Their midfield presses intelligently, and their back line, moving from a three-man defence to a conventional back four under Borges, is maturing into one of the most organised in Portugal. At home in Alvalade, they’ve turned the crowd’s roar into a genuine weapon.
Form check: They come into the Champions League full of confidence, riding the momentum of their domestic triumphs in recent years. Confidence matters — especially against giants like Bayern and PSG, where belief often tips the balance between narrow defeat and famous victory.
Key men:
Pedro Gonçalves (Pote): The creative spark, capable of magic from distance, a clinical finish or slipping in a killer ball.
Morten Hjulmand: Captain reliable, the Dane has been the best midfielder in Portugal over the last two seasons and it was somewhat surprising Sporting managed to keep hold of such a highly rated player for a third season with several of Europe’s most wealthy clubs chasing his signature.
Chances: With such a tough draw, an automatic top-8 qualification looks ambitious. But Sporting should absolutely target a finish in the 9–24 zone, which brings a knockout playoff. If they protect home turf and nick points away, they could well be the dark horse that no heavyweight wants to meet in spring.
Benfica — Tradition Meets transition
Where Sporting bring swagger, Benfica bring tradition. The Águias have been Portuguese football’s great exporters — selling stars, reinventing squads, and still managing to stay relevant on Europe’s biggest nights. That balancing act continues in 2025/26.
Their league-phase fixtures feature a blend of glamour and grind: opponents like Chelsea, Bayer Leverkusen, Napoli, and Newcastle United guarantee high-intensity nights. Some are winnable, some daunting, but all will test Benfica’s ability to manage turnover in their squad while maintaining sharpness.
Strengths: Benfica’s biggest weapon is their attacking firepower and their ability to carve open defences with pace and technique from wingbacks Samuel Dahl and Amar Dedić. At the Estádio da Luz they are formidable, feeding off a crowd that turns Champions League nights into something special. Their European savvy — built from decades of competing at this level and backed up by two triumphs in their trophy cabinet — also counts.
Form check: They looked sharp at the tail end of last season, and though they lost pieces in the transfer market (as always), they’ve retooled efficiently. The first three or four fixtures will be decisive; start well and belief will snowball, start poorly and they’ll be scrapping to survive.
Key man:
Vangelis Pavlidis: The Greek striker has been a revelation since joining, scoring heavily and proving reliable even against tougher European defences. Benfica’s ambitions depend on his finishing touch — without his goals, they struggle to keep pace.
“Inferno da Luz”: European nights in front of 65,000 passionate fans in the Portuguese capital are quite something at the Estádio da Luz, and prove an intimidating challenge even for the most seasoned of opponents.
Chances: Benfica’s ceiling would appear to be slightly lower than Sporting’s given the recent history of the two clubs and an apparent over-reliance on Pavlidis for goals. But the playoff zone is very much within reach, and on a good run, they could surprise a heavyweight. Expect them to hover around the top-20 mark, scrapping for every point.
Opponents: different styles
Portuguese clubs thrive on tactical adaptability, but their Champions League opponents this year bring contrasting tests:
PSG & Bayern: Relentless star power, punishing mistakes with ruthless precision.
Juventus & Napoli: Italian resilience — patient, cagey, but deadly on the break.
Chelsea & Leverkusen: High-pressing sides that force mistakes and feast on turnovers.
Club Brugge & Marseille: Dangerous underdogs who can derail bigger clubs if underestimated.
For Sporting and Benfica, the formula is clear: dominate at home, fight for scraps away, and keep an eye on goal difference.
The road ahead
So what can Portugal realistically hope for in Europe this season?
Sporting CP: A chance to shine on the biggest of stages. Title winners with depth, they have the tools to reach the knockout playoffs and, with the right breaks, even the round of 16.
Benfica: A team of tradition, capable of big nights, but perhaps too reliant on Pavlidis. Expect them to grind out enough points for the playoff places, though a top-8 finish looks a stretch.
Porto: Watching from the sidelines, hoping to rebuild their European reputation in the Europa League, Porto have started the season with renewed vigour and have the best chance to go deep to the latter stages of a European competition this season.
Braga: The Warriors have built a solid reputation in Europe over the years, including an appearance in the Europa League final in 2011 (against Porto), but on the early evidence this season the current team does not appear a vintage Braga side. A favourable draw, however, paves the way to reach the knockout phase.
The Champions League rarely rewards sentiment, but Portuguese football has always thrived on punching above its weight. If Pote lights up Alvalade and Pavlidis keeps scoring in Lisbon, don’t be surprised if both Sporting and Benfica are still in the conversation come March.
Portugal may only have two tickets this year, but both clubs bring passion, pedigree, and players capable of writing new European stories. The continent’s giants may look at them as outsiders — but outsiders with bite are often the ones who leave the deepest mark.
Porto and Braga in the Europa League
FC Porto’s absence from the Champions League this year is a rare sight, but perhaps a good thing for the club as part of its rebuild under new coach Francesco Farioli, and also an opportunity to sum plenty of coefficient points for Portugal.
Braga join Porto in Europe’s secondary competition after negotiating the qualifiers in impressive fashion. Both clubs have been given a favourable Europa League draw, in which the standout ties curiously involve the same opponents – Rangers and Nottingham Forest. The northerners will not be playing just for pride but for the country’s future European seeding.
Braga got into some promising positions early on with Pau Víctor firing at Andrew in the 12th minute. Gil Vicente gradually got on top however, Luís Esteves going close with a free kick and Pablo forcing a fine save from Lukás Hornícek.
Santi García went close before the break, the Gilistas maintaining the pressure and taking the lead in added time. The goal came following a swift counter attack, Esteves playing a great through ball to Agustín Moreira who picked out an unmarked Pablo who couldn't miss an empty net.
Carlos Vicens side ended the first half with 2-10 shots so he made two changes at the break, Gabriel Moscardo and Rodrigo Zalazar coming on for Jean-Baptiste Corby and Víctor.
García was booked and fortunate not to see red after taking down Zalazar from behind. Florian Grillitsch then came off the bench to make his debut, the midfielder replacing Fran Navarro.
Braga went desperately close in the 67th minute following a corner, João Moutinho’s header saved by Andrew before the 39-year-old fired the follow up off the bar.
Ricardo Horta was introduced in the 80th minute and didn’t take long to get involved, slamming a fierce strike straight at Andrew. He scuffed another effort at the goalkeeper to end a frustrating evening for the Warriors.
Vicens under pressure
The defeat was Carlos Vicens’ first since moving to Braga, the Spanish manager enjoying an easy run of fixtures after replacing Carlos Carvalhal. He couldn’t have asked for a more favourable draw in the Europa League qualifiers and few would have expressed much concern after his side conceded one goal in his opening seven games at the helm.
He had made some questionable decisions however, and looking further beneath the surface there were some worrying signs with Tondela and Alverca blowing plenty of presentable opportunities to score.
🎞️ Carlos Vicens - O Dia 1
Acompanha de perto os primeiros momentos do nosso Mister enquanto Gverreiro do Minho. Já disponível no SCB 𝐍𝐄❌𝐓 e no YouTube. #GanharComTodospic.twitter.com/utOBd05wMc
Braga dominated possession in their previous two Primeira Liga matches but needed late goals to salvage 2-2 draws against AFS and at Rio Ave. Their luck ran out against Gil Vicente and the defeat against their northern neighbours will be a tough one to take for the supporters who frequently endure late night matches on Sunday evenings.
Many of the Braga faithful were waving white flags after the final whistle and António Salvador was seen shaking his head in the grandstand. One wonders how long the patience of the president will last, especially after he recently sacked Daniel Ramos after just four games in charge.
Salvador splashed the cash on Mario Dorgeles and Pau Víctor after being seduced by Vicens and his previous position as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City. So far Vicens seems out of his depth and Braga’s fixture list only going to get tougher, starting next week with a Minho derby in Guimarães.
Peixoto on fire
César Peixoto has had a fantastic start to the season after becoming Gil Vicente manager in March. He endured a tough start to his managerial career but couldn’t have don’t much more in five games this campaign.
The Barcelos club have kept four clean sheets, earning victories at Nacional, Braga and at home against Moreirense. The Gilistas earned a 0-0 draw at Famalicão and lost 2-0 at home against Porto. With Luís Esteves providing the creativity and Pablo putting the goals away, they are well placed to secure a top half finish in the post Kanya Fujimoto era.
Benfica’s shock defeat against Qarabag in Lisbon tonight, on the back of the draw at home to Santa Clara last Friday after playing for an hour with an extra man, have resulted in the dismissal of coach Bruno Lage.
The UEFA Champions League is back with new 36-team league phase introduced last season, and Portugal has two proud representatives flying the flag: Sporting CP and Benfica. FC Porto, usually a mainstay, miss out this year and will play in Europa League. That puts extra spotlight — and pressure — on Lisbon’s two giants.
Braga got into some promising positions early on with Pau Víctor firing at Andrew in the 12th minute. Gil Vicente gradually got on top however, Luís Esteves going close with a free kick and Pablo forcing a fine save from Lukás Hornícek.