Please enable JavaScript to view advertisements.
×
App Icon
The Standard e-Paper
Stay Informed, Even Offline
★★★★ - on Play Store
Download App

Mourinho's Bernabeu homecoming upended by suspension, racism row

Benfica head coach Jose Mourinho receives a red card after being shown a yellow card during the UEFA Champions League vs Real Madrid at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon, Portugal, on February 17, 2026. [Zed Jameson / AFP]

Jose Mourinho has not set foot in the Santiago Bernabeu since leaving Real Madrid in 2013, but his Champions League homecoming with Benfica on Wednesday will be far more complicated than initially anticipated.

Mourinho cannot sit in the dug-out for the play-off second leg after being sent off during his team's 1-0 first-leg defeat in Lisbon last week.

Premium Article

Get Full Access for Ksh299/Week.

Fact-first reporting that puts you at the heart of the newsroom. Subscribe for full access.
Continue Reading  →
What you get
  • Unlimited access to all premium content
  • Ad-free browsing experience
  • Mobile-optimised reading
  • Weekly newsletters & digests
Pay via
M - PESA
VISA
Airtel Money
Secure Payments Kenya's most trusted newsroom since 1902
Support Independent Journalism

Stand With Bold Journalism.
Stand With The Standard.

Journalism can't be free because the truth demands investment. At The Standard, we invest time, courage and skills to bring you accurate, factual and impactful stories. Subscribe today and stand with us in the pursuit of credible journalism.

Pay via
M - PESA
VISA
Airtel Money
Secure Payment Kenya's most trusted newsroom since 1902