Benfica have confirmed the appointment of José Mourinho as their new manager, a move that arrives just over a week before the Portuguese side travel to face his former employers Chelsea in the Champions League.

On his return to the Lisbon team Mourinho said: “I have so many emotions, but I think experience helps me control them,” and added, “I want to thank you for the trust, the honour I feel at this moment.

“It’s been 25 years, but I’m not here to celebrate my career. It’s been 25 years in which I’ve had the opportunity to work for the biggest clubs in the world. And to conclude this speech, as a representative of this club, I’d like to say that none of the other giant clubs I’ve had the opportunity to coach have made me feel more honoured, responsible, or motivated than being the coach of Benfica.”

Mourinho will oversee a small number of domestic fixtures before making the trip to Stamford Bridge to meet Chelsea on Sept. 30. The fixture arrives early in his stint and will be watched closely because of his history with the Blues.

Having managed 321 games over two spells with the Blues and brought three Premier League titles to the club, Mourinho is widely hailed as perhaps the greatest manager in Chelsea history. That legacy has not been overlooked by the current Chelsea boss.

Asked if he is excited by the idea of facing Mourinho in less than two weeks, Maresca responded: “Absolutely. Absolutely, yes.

“He’s a legend for the club, he’s a legend in general for the trophies and achievements.”

The appointment sets up a high-profile reunion in the Champions League, with Mourinho and his new squad arriving at Stamford Bridge after a short domestic run of fixtures. The immediate focus for Benfica will be preparation for that trip and the start of Mourinho’s latest spell in charge.

José Mourinho has emerged as the frontrunner to take charge at Benfica after a turbulent week at the club. Bruno Lage was dismissed following Benfica’s Champions League defeat to Qarabag, a 3–2 home loss in which the club surrendered a two-goal lead. The result intensified pressure on the club hierarchy and prompted swift change.

Costa’s stock has only been dented further by Tuesday’s calamitous Champions League defeat to Qarabag, which saw the Portuguese giants conspire to lose 3–2 at home after taking a two-goal lead. Benfica manager Bruno Lage was promptly sacked.

“I believe this is the time for a change, precisely to avoid compromising the season,” Costa declared after Lage’s dismissal. “And, consequently, the coach who comes in must be a winning coach. A coach representing a club of this size must be one with the ability to bring this team to the levels we demand and give us the titles we desire.”

Noronha Lopes’s proposed vice president, Nuno Gomes, recently put forward Amorim as a potential candidate to lead Benfica. The former Sporting CP manager has a strong connection with the other Lisbon giant after spending nine years on their books as a player and could soon be available given Manchester United’s wretched start to the new season.

Despite those links to Ruben Amorim, the narrative has swung towards Mourinho. Fabrizio Romano was among the first of many outlets to claim that the self-anointed ‘Special One’ is in “advanced talks” with Benfica over a swift return to management. The report follows Mourinho’s recent dismissal by Fenerbahçe less than three weeks ago, a parting that came after a Champions League qualifier defeat to Benfica.

There is an added layer of symmetry to the story. Mourinho’s managerial journey began at the Estádio da Luz almost exactly 25 years ago. The formerly progressive tactician lasted less than three months, resigning after being refused a new contract. From there, Mourinho began again at União de Leiria before going on to establish his reputation at Porto, Inter, Real Madrid and Manchester United.

Nuno Gomes, the retired Benfica icon and a vice-presidential candidate at the club, has suggested Ruben Amorim could one day take charge at Benfica despite currently managing Manchester United. Speaking to Record, Gomes initially declined to speculate on the coach’s future. “Ruben Amorim is the coach of Manchester United, I can’t answer that question,” he said before adding a firmer prediction. “One thing I know, Ruben Amorim will be the coach of Benfica one day.”

Gomes linked that possibility to the enduring connection between Amorim and Benfica. The 40-year-old spent nine years on the club’s books as a player, three of which overlapped with Gomes. The two have remained friends since their playing days, and Gomes argued the door would be open should circumstances change.

Amorim made his managerial name on the other side of Lisbon with Sporting CP before moving to Old Trafford. Gomes contrasted his own status as an undisputed star and a particularly prolific national team player with Amorim’s career as a technically gifted fringe player for Iberian clubs. The suggestion from Gomes follows a fraught period for United. “United have endured a ruinous start to the new campaign, collecting just four points from as many Premier League matches,” the original account notes.

Questions also surround the Benfica dugout. Current incumbent Bruno Lage has a fragile contract which expires in the summer and has received little reassurance of an extension. Gomes added broader confidence in Benfica’s leadership when reflecting on recent change. “João has already shown in recent years that he is capable of changing Benfica, to make it greater and different from what it has been in recent years,” Gomes concluded.

There remains uncertainty about when Amorim might be available. His record in England’s top flight is presented as: played 31, lost 16, drawn seven, won eight; half of which have been against newly promoted opposition. For now, Gomes’s comments frame Amorim’s return as a future possibility rather than an imminent move.