Benfica were defeated 1-0 by Bayer Leverkusen thanks to a goal from Patrik Schick. The loss means Jose Mourinho has now lost three Champions League games since taking charge of Benfica. His side has failed to score and has conceded five goals in three matches.

After the game, Mourinho spoke about the performance of his team:

“Benfica did everything except score. The better team lost. The team that created chances lost. To win matches, you have to score. In this match, we started our attacks in a fantastic way and also controlled several counterattacks from our opponents. It was a high quality performance on our part. We hit the post, shot at the goalkeeper, and failed to convert our chances. We tried to outplay their goalkeeper, but we did not succeed in this important part of the match. I have faith in the future. We need to continue playing the same way. If we play the same way, we will win. We lost this match, but if we played 10 times, we would win nine times.”

He also reflected on the positives despite the result:

“I am frustrated with the result, but very happy with the team’s performance. The team played very well with and without the ball. The key was in all the chances we created and did not take. The display was good and complete, the only thing missing were the goals.”

Mourinho addressed some controversial moments in the game:

“I do not want to talk too much about it. I do not like to protest just for the sake of it, but all this unsportsmanlike behaviour. I usually say that when a team behaves in an overly unsportsmanlike manner, only one person is to blame, the referee. It is rare to see a referee show a yellow card to a goalkeeper in the first half, that only happens in the 89th minute. Perhaps nothing special happened and there were no glaring mistakes. We are all responsible in a match. And in this aspect of the match, those who allow it are to blame. The referee, whom I unfortunately know well and know that he does not have a particular liking for me, and I for him either. But I do not think we lost because of the referee. We lost because we did not score goals.”

On Benfica’s hopes of progressing in the Champions League, Mourinho said:

“Nobody can convince me that we are out. If everyone starts shouting that we are out, they will not convince me. I cannot say that we are going to qualify, but I refuse to accept that it is over now, there are 12 points to play for. We have a chance, the team is improving, there is nothing that convinces me that we cannot fight.”

Benfica currently sit second bottom in the Champions League table and must win all of their remaining four games to have any chance of qualification.