Benfica boss Jose Mourinho has accused referee Sergio Guelho of having "no personality" after his side's disappointing 1-1 draw with Rio Ave. The ex-Chelsea manager's new club were pegged back in injury time against their lowly opponents, who are yet to win this season, much to the Portuguese's chagrin.
Benfica disappointed by late equaliser
Mourinho was appointed Benfica boss last week, and has already been on the receiving end of a dispiriting result. He took charge of the Portuguese giants against Rio Ave, who have yet to win a game this season, and saw his side concede an injury-time equaliser, having only gone ahead in the 86th minute through Heorhiy Sudakov.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesMourinho left fuming
The famously spiky tactician took aim at the officials at the end of the game, insisting that the referee played a pivotal role in Benfica letting three points slip through their fingers, as his side had a goal ruled out at 0-0 that would have given them an earlier lead.
Mourinho's rant at match officials
Mourinho told reporters: “We didn’t do enough in the first half. The second half was good, within our limitations. We were dominant, aggressive and created chances, always playing in their half of the pitch. The two players who came on shook up the game.
“We scored a goal. If this is the new football, when goals are ruled out because a small toe steps on another small toe, I don’t like this new football. But that’s the way it is so we have to accept it. We kept trying and finally got the goal, but we conceded when we can’t concede a goal. It’s tremendously unfair and an awful result for us. It was the game that Rio Ave wanted and which the referee allowed.
“We are not an overly physical team or strong in the air. We have to penetrate using other routes. With Aursnes and Ivanovic there’s little width, because of the type of players they are. We tried with Dedic and Dahl, and also with Lukebakio, who is not yet fully fit, and with Andreas [Schjelderup].
“We were hit on the break and a team that is winning cannot concede a goal like that. We lost two points because of it.”
He also said about referee Guelho: "He has no personality."
AFPCan Benfica bounce back?
Mourinho's side will aim to bounce back in the league when they face Gil Vicente this weekend, before travelling to Stamford Bridge to play his former club Chelsea in the Champions League four days later.