In a night filled with nostalgia and emotion, Jose Mourinho returned to Stamford Bridge, only to leave disappointed as his Benfica side suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Chelsea in the Champions League on Tuesday. The Portuguese manager, who enjoyed two successful spells with Chelsea, was warmly welcomed by the home fans, who chanted his name throughout the match. However, the 62-year-old was left frustrated as Benfica failed to capitalize on a solid performance, with Richard Rios’s 18th-minute own goal proving decisive. This marked Benfica’s first loss under Mourinho’s leadership in four matches. Mourinho, the most successful manager in Chelsea’s history with seven major trophies, including three Premier League titles, acknowledged the fans’ affection but emphasized that he values victories over memories. “I don’t feed myself with these memories,” he said. “I feed myself with victories.” Meanwhile, Chelsea’s Enzo Maresca faced further disciplinary issues as substitute Joao Pedro was sent off in stoppage time, bringing Chelsea’s tally to three red cards in four games. Despite the setback, Maresca praised his team’s resilience, calling it a crucial win after a slow start to the season. “We needed the win,” he said. “Sometimes you need to learn to win in an ugly way.”
