Mourinho close to leading the Portuguese giants

Veteran Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho is set to embark on a new experience in his illustrious coaching career, just days after leaving Turkish club Fenerbahce following the team's failure to qualify for the group stage of the Champions League this season. Press reports revealed that Mourinho tops the list of candidates to take over at Portuguese club Benfica in the coming period, especially after the dismissal of coach Bruno Lage following his team's surprising 3-2 loss to Azerbaijani side Qarabag in the first match of the Champions League group stage. Benfica officially announced the departure of Bruno Lage following the heavy home defeat in the Champions League. The decision came based on the recommendation of club president Rui Costa, who has already begun moves to select a new coach to lead the team. According to the Portuguese newspaper "A Bola", Mourinho is the preferred choice of the club president, who hopes to return the legendary coach to Benfica's bench after an absence of 25 years. Sources indicate that negotiations between the two parties are progressing positively, with the deal expected to be completed in the coming hours. If the agreement is successful, Mourinho could lead Benfica in their next match against Vila das Aves, in the sixth round of the Portuguese League, scheduled for next Saturday. During the press conference announcing Bruno Lage's departure, Rui Costa confirmed that negotiations with Mourinho are ongoing, expressing his strong desire for the "Special One" to return to lead the team as soon as possible.