An almighty row erupted over Marco Silva replacing Jose Mourinho.
Silva is set to be named Benfica’s next coach after Mourinho was surprisingly taken back by Real Madrid.
While neither deal is yet confirmed, both appear to be in place, particularly after Madrid agreed to pay an increased fee for Mourinho having not signed signed him within a window his contract stipulated.
As such, Mourinho leaves Benfica for the second time, again trophyless, and not only that, but third in the league and out of the Champions League.
The virtues of Silva were being discussed on Record na Hora when things got heated.
Journalist Rafael Soares tried to make out Benfica are winners from the coach swap, but his logic was quickly called out.
Silva vs Mourinho erupts
He commented: “In the end, one of the pieces of good news for Benfica, besides receiving money for José Mourinho, is that Marco Silva wants to coach Benfica.
“He was one of the preferred targets for the job and that allows Benfica to prepare next season relatively early.
“And in the end Benfica receives money for a coach they didn’t really want that much at this stage and hires a coach who, over the last few years, has been more competent than Jose Mourinho.”
However, the elder Vitor Pinto then called out the idea Benfica didn’t want Mourinho, given they’d offered him a massive contract.
He interrupted: “A coach they supposedly didn’t want that much and then they offer him a three-year contract extension? That’s only something my good friend could say.
“Let’s do a bit of remote psychoanalysis here, people on social media like simple explanations.
“Benfica prepares a renewal offer worth over €40 million. If Mourinho was costing €15 million next season, he wasn’t going to cost less in the following seasons. So we’re talking about a renewal that could approach €50 million in total cost.
“And Benfica would do that without genuinely believing in the coach? Only for image reasons? Only out of fear? Only because they’re worried Mourinho might talk?”
Soares responded: “A lot of things went wrong though… To say Benfica had that much conviction in Mourinho…”
To which Pinto said: “No, because if Benfica really had that conviction, they would have made the offer earlier.”
Soares agreed thought his point had been made for him that Benfica would have made the offer earlier if they wanted Mourinho, but Pinto was pointing out Benfica’s incompetence.
He got animated as he finished: “I know, but that’s exactly the issue… There were plenty of Benfica supporters who wouldn’t have minded Rui Costa pulling the rug from under Mourinho. After all, the team finished third.
“But suddenly everything changed. The fear of having nobody led many people – even inside Benfica – to become Mourinho supporters. Now everyone’s a Mourinhista.
“That’s not conviction. That’s fear of the void.”
Well, that void will be filled by Silva, and time will tell if the panic to renew Mourinho instead of sign him will be justified…
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