Jose Mourinho enjoyed a warm welcome but a disappointing return to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, a first-half own goal gifting Chelsea a 1-0 win over his new Benfica side in the Champions League.
A scrappy game was decided in the 18th minute when Chelsea’s Pedro Neto looped the ball to Alejandro Garnacho at the far post and the Argentine stretched to turn it across the face of goal where the unfortunate Richard Rios could only poke it in his own net.
Mourinho, who won three league titles in two spells with Chelsea, waved and blew a kiss when the home supporters sang his name. The fans’ mood contrasted strongly with previous visits when he was in charge of Manchester United and London rivals Tottenham Hotspur. Chelsea will be relieved to have points on the Champions League board, despite finishing the game with 10 men after substitute Joao Pedro was sent off deep into added time for two yellow cards.
Enzo Maresca’s team lost their first Champions League outing in more than two years to Bayern Munich earlier this month.
They started brightly, hogging possession and creating chances for Neto and Enzo Fernandez. Garnacho, signed this season from Manchester United, busily probed down the left wing.
Benfica, who have lost all five of their meetings against the London side, looked dangerous in spells with Fredrik Aursnes and Georgiy Sudakov having shots blocked and Dodi Lukebakio forcing a save onto the post.
But the game was a stop, start affair in the second half, with seven yellow cards brandished before Chelsea’s red just before the final whistle.
Benfica fans taunted their former player Fernandez as he took a corner in front of them late in the first half and the smiling Argentine clapped them which provoked a flurry of plastic cups from the stands. Mourinho strode down the touchline gesturing for the visiting fans to calm down.
The Portuguese coach took charge of Benfica less than two weeks ago after the side lost their first Champions League game to Azerbaijan’s Qarabag and the Lisbon side sacked Bruno Lage.
