CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DéJà VU: JOSE MOURINHO MEETS HIS NEWCASTLE NEMESIS ONCE MORE
Anthony Gordon's goal sealed a memorable Champions League night for Newcastle at a roaring St. James' Park, handing Jose Mourinho a familiar defeat on Tyneside despite his deep affection for the club and its legendary connection to Sir Bobby.
When Jose Mourinho is in the opposing dugout, his passion for Newcastle can only go so far, as evidenced by his icy-cold gaze after Anthony Gordon found the net. At St James' Park, the self-described "little Magpie" could only watch as his team lost in the Champions League.
For Mourinho, who had only won three of his previous 12 games in Newcastle going into the match, it was a familiar fate. Having managed Chelsea, Manchester United, and Tottenham in the past, the Portuguese's trip to Benfica was one of the few occasions when he would have gone into a match as the underdog.
And on yet another unforgettable night, the Geordies defeated Mourinho, who has gained the club's devotion because of his strong friendship with Sir Bobby Robson, a legend of the Toon Army, at home for the sixth time. Before the match, Mourinho declared, "I have never concealed how much Newcastle means to me because of the influence of a legendary guy at this club."
It is great to play football in St James' Park. Individuals come here to play the game with them, not to watch it. It is this club, the history, the fervour, and the supporters, not just the stadium."
However, Mourinho had different goals going into the match because Benfica needed points following losses to Chelsea and Qarabag. Sitting as low as 33rd on a 36-team table is unfamiliar to the veteran.
However, as Newcastle regained possession and released Jacob Murphy down the flank after a heavy press and disciplined defending, the former Chelsea manager saw Newcastle's 12th man on full show. Gordon scored his fourth goal of the Champions League season after the winger's low cross went straight into his path on the six-yard line.
Benfica also had opportunities, as Dodi Lukebakio, a constant menace, cut in from the right and struck the post after some deft movement. Mourinho's smile was insufficient, as he left the tunnel before the halftime horn blew, possibly indicating that some severe words were said in the dressing room.
The Magpies kept goalie Anatoliy Trubin busy at the beginning of the second half, but Nick Pope was just as active. But it was the latter's attacking performance that was more noteworthy than his strong net defence.
Pope provided some straightforward football, and Newcastle demonstrated flexibility. The goalie played in Harvey Barnes with a huge throw that went over the halfway line.
The former Leicester player found a clever finish from a tight angle to increase Newcastle's lead, but he still had work to do as bodies started to put pressure on him.
Gordon was next to discover Barnes in the box after Nick Woltemade made a nice gesture to locate him. Newcastle celebrated with another strong finish, and Mourinho covered his face as his team went 30 minutes without attempting to score.
Newcastle undoubtedly made an effort to live up to Mourinho's pregame remarks. With their current financial clout with the owners, the squad is on the verge of even greater success.
"It’s a really distinctive club because of the culture in this region; it’s very different culturally from London and from Manchester. I enjoy playing here. "It is beautiful here, and you will feel that atmosphere tomorrow evening," I told my guys.
The Magpies came up short against a team with a clear European heritage. Last term, Benfica made it to the round of 16, which Eddie Howe and company will aim for.
Although it is unlikely that Mourinho's remarks to his players would have an impact on the mood after the loss, Newcastle took a significant and constructive step by moving up to six points from three games in the European group stage.
ARSENAL POCKET INSANE £125.18M FOLLOWING CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL QUALIFICATION
Mikel Arteta's side has added £15.97m to their cash reserves, eclipsing the total earned by current champions PSG last year.
Arsenal have added another £15.97 million to their UEFA prize money haul after securing a spot in the Champions League final with a win against Atletico Madrid. They are set to face either Bayern Munich or the current champions, Paris Saint-Germain, in Budapest on May 30, aiming for their first-ever triumph in this prestigious competition.
Beyond that, there’s an additional £5.61 million up for grabs in Hungary later this month. But up to now, Arsenal have amassed an eye-watering £125.18 million in Champions League prize money this season alone. A place in next season’s European Super Cup also carries a potential reward of around £3.45 million. It’s been a remarkable European run under Mikel Arteta, with the team dominating the group stage by winning all eight matches.
From the very beginning, the club benefited from the initial distribution of TV revenue and the rankings pool, which together amounted to £49.6 million. Even before the knockout rounds kicked off, Arsenal had already secured £85.3 million in prize money.
That total doesn’t even cover the bonuses linked to their on-field success, as each of their eight victories in the group stage brought in roughly £15.8 million altogether.
By finishing first out of 36 group-phase clubs, Arsenal earned an extra £8.6 million, and progressing straight to the round of 16 as one of the top eight teams secured them another £11.3 million.
They continued their strong run by eliminating Bayer Leverkusen after a 1-1 draw away and a 2-0 win at the Emirates, which added £10.8 million more to their earnings.
Overcoming Sporting CP in the quarter-finals also brought a £10.8 million bonus. While Arsenal’s motivation isn’t just financial, this level of income certainly aids in meeting profit and sustainability rules and other financial fair play criteria.
It’s also likely to support their summer transfer budget, as sporting director Andrea Berta looks to build on Arteta’s squad.
Last season, Arsenal took home £98.63 million after reaching the semi-finals before falling to PSG.
PSG, who went on to win the title, collected about £124.62 million last year, so Arsenal have now already surpassed that figure.
Meanwhile, UEFA has set aside a record £2.13 billion in prize money for the 2025-26 Champions League season, highlighting the competition’s growing financial stakes.
JAN OBLAK CONFESSES ATLETICO WERE "AFRAID TO PLAY" AGAINST ARSENAL
Following their Champions League exit, skipper Jan Oblak analysed where Atletico went wrong and paid tribute to Griezmann.
Jan Oblak didn’t hold back after Atletico Madrid crashed out of the Champions League against Arsenal. He said straight up that the team just didn’t do enough to earn a spot in the final. Sure, he’s proud of how far the squad has come recently, but the way they went out still stings.
Oblak was pretty open about where things went wrong, especially after the first leg, when Atletico failed to take an advantage back to London. “I'm disappointed, just like all the fans. Honestly, I can’t find the words. We didn’t do enough to be in the final, and it’s just a tough moment. We had our chances to win, but we didn’t take them. All that’s left is to congratulate Arsenal.”
He didn’t stop there, either. Speaking to CBS Golazo, Oblak was even more direct about the team’s mentality, especially in the first half of both matches. He felt Atletico were hesitant, too respectful of Arsenal, and afraid to play. Both times, they fell behind before halftime and then tried to play catch-up, but it was always a little too late. “This has happened several times this season,” Oblak said, “and while we’ve managed to win those games before, not today when it mattered most.”
On the flip side, Oblak did give some credit to the young players and the growth the team’s shown, especially after a couple of big summers that saw a huge part of the squad change. “The last two seasons, we’ve switched out something like 15 players. A lot of young guys with not much experience came in. They did great in the cup, and they’ve held up in the Champions League too. In the league, we weren’t good enough for the biggest matches, but I’m proud of how the younger ones are growing. Still, when the goal is to win a title, and you don’t, you can’t call it a success. All we can do is look forward and hope we’ll be fighting for trophies next season.”
Saying goodbye to Antoine Griezmann made this exit even sadder for Oblak and the rest of the squad. Griezmann’s heading to Orlando City this summer, bringing the curtain down on his Champions League career with Atletico. “Everyone’s going to miss Griezi; he’s an incredible player and a great guy. The kind of person who’s always smiling, always positive, and does things on the pitch nobody else can. We’ll miss him a lot; the fans will miss him, but he deserves nothing but the best wherever he goes.”
At 33, Oblak is one of Atletico’s true leaders, right behind Koke for the captain’s armband. Alongside Jose Maria Gimenez and Marcos Llorente, he’s been a
_1777554856.webp)
