Mourinho: “If Prestianni is indeed guilty, I will never look at him the same way again”

Lisbon—José Mourinho drew a stark line in the sand on Thursday afternoon, declaring that winger Gianluca Prestianni’s future at Benfica hinges on the outcome of an internal investigation into an unspecified breach of club protocol.

Speaking at the club’s Caixa training ground, the Portuguese coach said: “If it is proven that my player did not respect these principles, which are mine and Benfica’s, his career with me is over. If he is indeed guilty, I will never look at him the same way again, and he is finished with me.”

Mourinho refused to detail the allegations but emphasized that both personal and institutional standards are “non-negotiable,” while simultaneously invoking the legal presumption of innocence. “I’m not a lawyer, but I’m not ignorant either. Is the presumption of innocence a human right or not?” he asked the assembled media.

The 61-year-old also addressed other flashpoints from the past week, including the shirt-swap between Benfica defender Sidny and Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior after last weekend’s friendly. Images of the pair embracing post-match triggered a wave of criticism from sections of the Estádio da Luz support, yet Mourinho played down the incident.

“Sidny and Vinícius swapping shirts after the game is not something to criticize. It’s normal in big matches and with players of stratospheric quality. It was avoidable, given what happened during the week,” he conceded, hinting that the timing amplified the backlash.

Mourinho likewise defended his decision to remain on the team bus rather than take a seat in the dugout during the Madrid encounter, explaining that four onboard screens offered a superior tactical vantage point. “Staying on the bus is normal because I had four screens and I saw the match differently. Besides, who knows, maybe in the future it could be like in other sports where the coach is in a different position,” he said.

The former Inter, Chelsea, and Real Madrid boss again batted away speculation linking him with a return to the Spanish capital. “When they said the match against Real Madrid was an opportunity for me to return, they missed something important. In this room, I said it was possible to say no to Florentino Pérez. Do you think I would say that if I wanted to leave Benfica for Real Madrid? Do you think I’m stupid?” he retorted. “I was very objective. I said I didn’t want to go to Real Madrid and that I wanted to stay. I have many flaws, but I’m not stupid.”

On the topic of Álvaro Arbeloa—who publicly questioned Mourinho’s recent tactical choices—the Portuguese expressed enduring affection while standing firm. “I love Álvaro and I will continue to do so, but I believe that I was the one who took the right position, not him. One must have a balanced stance. If being balanced means not defending my own side, then I didn’t attack the other.”

With the new Primeira Liga campaign looming, Mourinho’s message was unmistakable: discipline and loyalty to Benfica’s ethos will override talent every time, and Prestianni now faces a career-defining verdict.