José Mourinho was called a traitor by both Porto players and coach Lucho Gonzalez after the draw against Porto. Mourinho says he heard the insult over 70 times after Benfica's match against Porto: 50 times from Porto players and between 20 and 30 times from coach Lucho Gonzalez. Mourinho says he was a little disappointed because Lucho Gonzalez is a professional like him and has played for different teams, and he did not understand the traitor comment.
Mourinho previously coached Porto, including leading them to a Champions League victory in the 2003/2004 season. Mourinho says insults from fans are one thing and part of football, but another professional player calling him a traitor is different. Mourinho says the criticism from Gonzalez made him really angry, viewing it as an attack on his professionalism, which he values highly.
The match ended 2-2, leaving the teams' table positions unchanged with Porto at the top and Benfica in third place. Mourinho was sent off in the final minutes after kicking a ball towards Porto's substitute bench. José Mourinho returned to Benfica at the start of the season with high expectations.
Benfica has had a tough year and failed in several major tournaments, being eliminated from the Champions League, Taça de Portugal, and Taça da Liga. In league play, Benfica has lost ground in the title race, trailing the league leader by seven points after a 2-2 draw against rival Porto. Former defender Álvaro Magalhães criticizes Benfica's performance, saying the season has not lived up to expectations.
Magalhães says a win was crucial to reduce the gap, but Benfica gave Porto too much space, and Porto was clearly better in midfield and could have scored more than two goals.