Maverick coach, José Mourinho has made a swift return to management after agreeing a two-year deal to become Benfica’s new head coach, weeks after Fenerbahce sack.

The 62-year-old was dismissed by Fenerbahce last month after just over a year in charge but has now returned to the Lisbon club, where he was briefly manager between September and December 2000.

Mourinho replaces Bruno Lage, who was sacked earlier this week following Benfica’s shock Champions League home defeat to Qarabag of Azerbaijan. The Portuguese coach is set to oversee his first training session on Thursday as he begins his second spell at the Estádio da Luz.

The move is laced with irony, as Mourinho’s criticism of Fenerbahce’s board over transfer dealings ahead of their Champions League play-off against Benfica contributed to his departure in Turkey. Just three weeks later, he finds himself in the Benfica dugout, tasked with reviving a side in crisis.

Mourinho’s return also sets up a dramatic reunion with one of his former clubs. Benfica are due to visit Stamford Bridge on 30 September to face Chelsea in the Champions League, handing the Portuguese coach another chance to pit himself against a team where he won three Premier League titles across two spells.

The former Manchester United and Tottenham boss boasts a glittering CV, having won the Champions League with Porto in 2004 and with Inter Milan in 2010. He guided Chelsea to multiple league titles, secured a Europa League and League Cup double with United in 2017, and lifted the inaugural Europa Conference League trophy with Roma in 2022.

Despite enduring setbacks at Tottenham and most recently at Fenerbahce, Mourinho remains one of the most decorated managers of his generation. Benfica will hope his pedigree can deliver stability and success as they look to reassert themselves domestically and in Europe.