Jose Mourinho will take on his former side Chelsea in the Champions League’s league phase as Benfica manager this week, with his new salary being revealed by the club’s president
Jose Mourinho’s Benfica salary has been revealed(Image: AFP/Getty Images)
Jose Mourinho’s new salary at Benfica has been revealed, with the legendary Portuguese manager set to receive his most meagre pay packet in two decades.
The ‘Special One’ was sacked by Fenerbahce last month, having finished 11 points off Super Lig champions Galatasaray last season, reportedly because the club hierarchy wanted to see better football.
While on holiday in Barcelona, he received a call from Portuguese giants Benfica, who offered him the chance to replace the recently axed Bruno Lage. Mourinho, presented with an irresistible opportunity, accepted his 12th managerial position, a quarter of a century after his first stint with the Lisbon side.
The 62-year-old has secured two victories and a draw from his three games at the helm so far. But his biggest test arrives on Tuesday evening when he makes his return to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea, where he enjoyed two successful stints, in the Champions League.
Benfica president Rui Costa maintains that Mourinho remains among the “greatest coaches” in football. However, the manager has apparently agreed a pay cut to rejoin his first club, with Costa revealing his two-year deal is worth around €3million (£2.6m) net in his first season, rising to €4m (£3.5m) next season.
The former Portugal striker initially told TVI/CNN Portugal last Thursday: “I’m not going to say the total amount, I’m not authorised to say how much he earns. Did you ask Sporting and FC Porto that question? A coach of this calibre comes at a price.
Jose Mourinho was sacked by Fenerbahce in August(Image: Bruno de Carvalho/Getty Images)
“I don’t think it’s right to say his salary on television. It’s a valuable contract. He’s not above what Roger Schmidt earned. I can give you that, but don’t ask me to say how much he earns.”
However, when pressed further on the aforementioned sum Mourinho is reportedly receiving, Costa responded: “It’s around that figure. It’s not a question of transparency or not; I don’t think it’s logical for the president of Benfica to disclose how much a particular person earns.”
He continued: “It’s the lowest salary José Mourinho has had since leaving Portugal. His desire to come to Benfica was one of the things that made me believe even more that he is the ideal coach for Benfica. He understood the reality of Benfica and that it was an election period.”
The contract features a break clause that will allow either side to terminate the deal 10 days after the final match of the campaign, should they choose.
Mourinho has taken a pay cut to re-join his first ever club(Image: Getty Images)
Costa added: “He knows and respects Benfica’s current situation, so much so that he accepted a clause that is rare. The club pays, and if he leaves, he pays. To terminate his contract, the amount is less than half of his annual salary.
“It was a fantastic move given the situation Benfica is in. He’s one of the most renowned coaches in the world. He wanted to work at Benfica.”
Much has been said about the fortune Mourinho has accumulated from severance packages following his dismissals at Chelsea, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Roma and Fenerbahce. Turkish journalist Yagiz Sabuncuoglu reports that Mourinho most recently raked in £7.7m – taking his total earnings from sackings alone to around a staggering £89m across his career. United alone paid £19.6m in compensation to Mourinho and his backroom staff when he was sacked in December 2018.
However, his close friend and fellow manager Jose Peseiro insists he still has that trademark fire in his belly to win football matches. “He wants to go and beat Chelsea to show everyone ‘I am here’,” Peseiro said.