José Mourinho once again stole the spotlight. Benfica’s head coach was sent off late in the match during the 1–0 defeat against Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League playoff on Tuesday night, following a heated confrontation with referee François Letexier.
In a red-hot Estádio da Luz, facing the club he managed from 2010 to 2013, the Portuguese coach saw the game slip away from him in the closing minutes. The breaking point came when the referee refused to give Vinícius Júnior a second yellow card after a controversial foul on Richard Ríos. Already booked, the Brazilian could have left Real Madrid down to ten men — enough to make Mourinho explode.
Late Controversy Sparks Touchline Meltdown
Furious, the “Special One” launched a series of vehement protests toward the fourth official and then Letexier himself. The outcome: a personal second warning followed by a red card in the 86th minute. After being dismissed, Mourinho refused to go down the tunnel and instead took a seat in the front row of the stands, just behind his bench, to watch the tense ending of the match.
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Mourinho will be suspended for the return leg at the Santiago Bernabéu. A major setback for Benfica, who must overturn a one-goal deficit after Vinícius Júnior’s decisive strike shortly after halftime. As if the chaos were not enough, the match was also paused for several minutes following accusations of racist abuse aimed at Vinícius. Amid controversy, cards, and extreme tension, football almost became secondary — and Mourinho once again found himself at the center of the storm.
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