Mourinho's Former Spokesman Delivers His Most Passionate Defence Yet: 'Refs Think It's a Medal to Send Him Off'
Eladio Paramés, Mourinho's long-time friend and ex-spokesman, has gone in to bat for the Benfica boss in a remarkable interview on Radio MARCA.
Eladio Paramés — José Mourinho’s former spokesman, personal adviser, and decades-long mate — has given what might be the most full-throated defence of the Portuguese manager you’ll ever hear, and honestly, some of it is hard to argue with.
‘It’s Like a Medal for Them’
The headline moment from Paramés’ appearance on Radio MARCA’s La Tribu was his take on Mourinho’s turbulent relationship with referees. His argument? That some officials actually want to send him off.
- He suggested certain refs treat a Mourinho red card as a personal achievement
- “For the referee it seems like a thing, a medal, to send José off” — that’s the quote doing the rounds, and it’s a belter
- Paramés reckons the permanent spotlight on the dugout creates a situation where Mourinho is always the target
Whether you buy it or not, it’s the kind of thing plenty of Mourinho loyalists have quietly thought for years.
The Real Mourinho vs. The Touchline Mourinho
Paramés was keen to separate the public pantomime villain from the bloke he actually knows.
- Off camera, he described him as warm, loyal, and genuinely supportive of those around him
- He pointed out that Mourinho often deliberately attracts controversy towards himself to shield his players — taking the bullets so they don’t have to
- His time as spokesman at Real Madrid? “Very, very hard” — his words
It’s a familiar defence of Mourinho, but coming from someone who was literally in the room for the Madrid years, it carries a bit more weight than your average pundit take.
The Prestianni-Vinícius Situation
Paramés trod carefully here, but he didn’t dodge it either.
- He acknowledged something happened between Prestianni and Vinícius Jr, but refused to condemn anyone without knowing the full story
- On Mourinho’s comments about Vinícius’ celebrations, he was unequivocal: the man is not racist, full stop
- His reading was that Mourinho was warning about context — that certain celebrations can provoke violent reactions in certain environments — rather than telling Vinícius how to express himself
- He also had a dig at Benfica’s board, suggesting the club should have backed their manager publicly and far sooner than they did: “Not saying the club left him alone, but it left him alone”
Make of that what you will.
Back to the Bernabéu?
On the rumours of a Mourinho return to Real Madrid — and they never fully go away, do they — Paramés was pretty straightforward.
- He doesn’t see it happening
- Respects the relationship between Mourinho and Florentino Pérez, but says personal warmth and a second stint in the dugout are two very different things
- He also noted, fairly, that managing Madrid requires a very specific kind of personality and unconditional institutional backing
Benfica Can Do It
With the second leg at the Bernabéu on the horizon, Paramés wasn’t rolling over.
- He’s confident Mourinho will be in the stadium rather than watching from a hotel room
- He believes the tie is absolutely still alive
- And he left with a proper statement: if there are no “strange interferences”, Benfica can beat Madrid
Bold claim. But then, this is Mourinho’s world — and we’re all just living in it.
Source: MARCA Radio