Jose Mourinho Finishes Unbeaten With Benfica As Porto Clinch League Crown

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By Sedara Philip

Jose Mourinho completed an extraordinary unbeaten league campaign with Benfica after guiding the Portuguese giants to victory in their final Primeira Liga match of the season.

Benfica defeated Estoril 3-1 to round off the campaign without suffering a single league defeat. Mourinho’s side finished the season with 23 wins and 11 draws from 34 matches.

Despite their remarkable consistency, Benfica were unable to secure the league title. They ended the season in third place on 80 points, trailing champions Porto by eight points and finishing two behind second-placed Sporting.

The result against Estoril could prove to be Mourinho’s final game in charge of Benfica, with reports indicating the veteran manager is in advanced talks to become the next Real Madrid head coach.

A move to the Santiago Bernabeu would mark Mourinho’s return to the Spanish club 13 years after his first spell in charge.

The 63-year-old took over at Benfica last September on a two-year contract and quickly transformed the team into one of Europe’s most difficult sides to beat. His achievements this season have reportedly attracted the attention of Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez.

Benfica’s unbeaten but trophyless campaign is not without precedent in Portuguese football history. During the 1977/78 season, the club also completed the league season without defeat but still failed to win the title after Porto edged them out on goal difference.

Mourinho’s Benfica have now joined FC Sheriff and Red Star Belgrade as the only European clubs this century to go through an entire league season unbeaten and still miss out on the championship.