Jose Mourinho confronted by enraged supporters

For too many Manchester United supporters, the mention of Jose Mourinho still evokes the last period of sustained silverware at Old Trafford.

Appointed in May 2016 to restore the club’s post-Ferguson identity, the “Special One” delivered a decorated debut season, securing the Community Shield, the League Cup, and the UEFA Europa League—the club’s first-ever triumph in that competition.

Over his 144 matches in charge, he maintained a win percentage of 58%, famously guiding United to a second-place finish in 2017/18, which he later described as one of his greatest career achievements.

However, the tenure fractured under the weight of internal tensions, leading to his departure in December 2018.

Since leaving Manchester, Mourinho’s career has been a whirlwind of high-stakes projects.

He led Tottenham Hotspur to a cup final before a sudden exit, then moved to Italy, where he ended AS Roma’s long trophy drought by winning the inaugural UEFA Conference League in 2022.

Most recently, following a brief but characteristically intense stint with Fenerbahçe in Turkey, Mourinho made a sensational return to his native Portugal.

On September 18, 2025, he was unveiled as the head coach of Benfica, nearly 25 years after he began his managerial journey at the very same club.

But the nostalgic homecoming has rapidly turned into a hostile standoff.

The atmosphere at Benfica’s Seixal headquarters reached a boiling point this weekend as a large contingent of supporters forcibly demanded accountability for the club’s stuttering campaign.

In a direct confrontation with the hierarchy, approximately 200 members of the club’s ultra groups breached the training facility on Saturday, seeking a face-to-face showdown with Mourinho, technical director Simao Sabrosa, and veteran captain Nicolas Otamendi, according to Correio da Manha.

Since his high-profile appointment in September, Mourinho’s return has failed to spark the dominance many anticipated.

Despite boasting an unbeaten record in the Primeira Liga, the Eagles find themselves languishing in third place—already trailing bitter rivals Porto by a daunting 10 points.

The demonstration saw fans initially attempt to send a small delegation to speak with the leadership. When this was rejected, the entire group surged forward, prompting an emergency police response.

Order was only restored when the protesters pledged to remain peaceful, eventually leading to a tense, hour-long discussion on one of the practice pitches.

While President Rui Costa has publicly backed Mourinho, stating that a coaching change is out of the question, the pressure is mounting.