Mourinho: "I Love Real Madrid and Arbeloa, But I Hope They Play Poorly Tomorrow!" - Elbotola
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Mourinho: "I Love Real Madrid and Arbeloa, But I Hope They Play Poorly Tomorrow!"

Mourinho: "I Love Real Madrid and Arbeloa, But I Hope They Play Poorly Tomorrow!"

27 January 2026at20:48

Benfica coach Jose Mourinho expressed his affection for Real Madrid and their coach, Álvaro Arbeloa, but despite his admiration, he wished for them to perform poorly in their upcoming UEFA Champions League match against his side.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Mourinho stated: "Arbeloa is like a son to me. He's not just a former player; he's one of my favourite players. He wasn't my best player at Madrid, but he was certainly among the best."

He continued: "First and foremost, I wish him all the best, and that's what I hope for. I want Arbeloa to succeed wherever he goes. I want Real Madrid to succeed with any coach. I love Real Madrid, and I love Álvaro, but I hope they have a bad game tomorrow!"

Portuguese club Benfica is set to face Real Madrid tomorrow, Wednesday, in the eighth round of the UEFA Champions League, with kick-off scheduled for 21:00 GMT+1.

Why does Jose Mourinho wish for Real Madrid to perform poorly against Benfica?

Jose Mourinho, while expressing his love for Real Madrid and Álvaro Arbeloa, stated he hopes they play poorly in their Champions League match against his Benfica team, putting his current club first.

When is the UEFA Champions League match between Benfica and Real Madrid taking place?

The UEFA Champions League eighth-round match between Benfica and Real Madrid is scheduled for tomorrow, Wednesday, with kick-off at 21:00 GMT+1.
Real Madrid
Benfica
UEFA Champions League

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