The Stoned Bus and the Ghost of Jorge Jesus: How Bruno Lage Left Benfica Through a Small Door

Bruno Lage, the favourite to replace German Roger Schmidt at Benfica, was the club’s champion in 2019 but left through the “little door” next year.

He took over the reins of the team in the 2018/2019 season. jump from team B from the Eagles in place of Rui Vitoria. He has 18 wins and a draw in 19 league matches, recovering from seven point deficit in relation to FC Porto and became the national champion.

The next season began with a victory in the Super Bowl, with a victory rout (5-0) against Sporting. In the championship, the first round ended with a loss of only three points and a seven-point advantage over Porto.

The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020 left football stadiums empty. Benfica enter negative spiral only two wins in 13 matches.

“When the championship resumed, after the break caused by the pandemic, we played at home, at the Estadio da Luz. We performed well, but We missed a few opportunities and felt the absence of fans“Playing in a stadium without fans was a new experience, and I feel that with them we could have won this game,” Bruno Lage told the portal in 2023. Transfermarkt.

“Despite the draw, we had the same number of points as the team that took first place. Our bus was attacked, Weigl and Zivkovic were injured. There was a great deal of instability around the team.“, the coach lamented, recalling the stoning of the Benfica bus in Seixal, which resulted in two of the team’s players being injured.

In addition to the bus, the homes of Pizzi, Rafa, Grimaldo and Lage himself were vandalized.

Meanwhile, ghost of Jorge JesusThe most decorated coach in Benfica’s history won the Brazilian Championship and the Copa Libertadores with Flamengo, and his name was constantly mentioned. associated with the return to the eagles.

After the home defeat to Santa Clara, Lage’s discomfort became apparent and the coach even expressed displeasure at the criticism levelled at journalists who revealed some concern over rumours linking Jorge Jesus to the Reds.

“Starting from the third round with Porto, you [jornalistas] They are very worried about my place. There was always concern about my place. They even asked what my salary was. Sometimes I wonder who you’re trying to promote to take my place? or even who pays for lunches, dinners or trips come here instead of me. This place is not mine, it is Benfica’s,” he said in the first of two defeats in a row.

The second, with Maritimo, was a drop of water for Bruno LageThe Setubal native made the position available to the club’s management.

“The Benfica family is sad. We did everything we could to be happy this year. But it’s not like that. I have to say that I, the president of Benfica, am the only one to blame,” said then-club leader Luis Filipe Vieira.

Although the place was given to Lage, the coach later said that the departure was Vieira’s decision. “If we still have five league games to play, plus the Portuguese Cup final, we could finish the season. And then, with time and calm, we will make the best decision for everyone, especially for Benfica. It’s not about fairness. or not. It was the president’s decision, which we must respect.“, he explained.

Lage traveled from heaven to hell in a matter of months.”I was coach of the year, coach of January, February, March and April, but after losing a couple of games I was sacked.” he said. Record in 2023.

The following season, Jorge Jesus returned to Benfica, but failed to bring any trophies to the Reds during his second spell at Lux.

This time, once again, Lage could be called upon to save Benfica from a bad start – two wins in four official matches – this time earlier than in the 2018/2019 season. Its name shares the structure of the club, but Former Reds players Rafa Silva and Alejandro Grimaldo have publicly stated that it was the best choice..

And regarding Lage’s departure from Benfica in 2020, they assured that the team’s desire was for the coach to remain at the club, thereby refuting rumors that the athletes were against the coach.