Mourinho's pre-match hospital dash before Benfica's narrow win
The Special One required medical attention for an ear inflammation hours before Benfica's 2-1 victory over Santa Clara, ahead of Tuesday's Champions League clash with Real Madrid.
José Mourinho had a bit of a ‘mare before Benfica’s match against Santa Clara, requiring a hospital visit just hours before his side scraped a 2-1 win on Friday.
Ear trouble for The Special One
The Portuguese gaffer woke up Friday morning with an inflamed ear causing him significant discomfort, according to Lisbon newspaper A Bola. Mou wasn’t taking any chances and headed straight to Hospital do Divino Espírito Santo in Ponta Delgada for a check-up.
Fortunately for the Eagles, it wasn’t anything too serious. Mourinho spent less than an hour at the medical facility, where doctors treated the inflammation and prescribed medication before sending him back to the team hotel.
Business as usual
Despite his early morning medical drama, Mourinho was in his usual spot on the touchline for Benfica’s match against Santa Clara. The brief hospital visit didn’t seem to affect his ability to manage the team, though the performance itself wasn’t exactly one for the highlight reel.
Benfica managed to secure all three points with a 2-1 victory, but by all accounts, it was a rather uninspiring display from Mourinho’s men.
Madrid rematch looming
The timing of this minor health scare is particularly interesting with Benfica set to host Real Madrid on Tuesday in the first leg of their Champions League play-in tie.
This upcoming clash comes just three weeks after Benfica’s dramatic 4-2 victory over Los Blancos, sealed by an extraordinary stoppage-time goal from goalkeeper Trubin that secured the Portuguese side’s place among the competition’s top 24 teams.
Mourinho will be hoping his ear troubles are well behind him as he prepares to face his former employers in what promises to be a proper tasty European night at the Estádio da Luz.