Jose Mourinho has long secured his place in football history. The Special One has managed in several countries and leagues before returning to Portugal to take charge of Benfica, leaving his mark on countless players along the way. One of them is Erik Lamela.
The Argentine international looks back fondly on the period he spent working with Benfica's current coach during their time together at Tottenham.
Currently without a club after a brief spell at AEK Athens, Lamela highlighted the strong relationship he always had with the Portuguese manager and praised the way he was treated from the very beginning.
"My relationship with him was excellent. From day one, he showed me a lot of care. When he arrived, I was injured, and he made a point of watching an entire training session with the fitness coach. I really value that gesture, even to this day," the forward recalled exclusively to Flashscore.
The former Tottenham player described Mourinho as someone who was close to his players but demanding on the pitch.
"He was like a friend. The relationship was very close and positive. He only asked that we gave our all, both in training and in matches. Once he saw that you were fully committed, your relationship with him was always very good," Lamela explained.
'Hope he does well'
The Argentine also took the opportunity to express his appreciation and wish the coach success in his new role at Benfica.
"I truly hope he does well. It's been a while since we worked together, but I always have a special place for those who made me feel good throughout my career, and he's one of those people," he said.
Since arriving at Luz with the season already underway, Mourinho has experienced ups and downs at the helm of the Eagles, recording 14 wins, five draws, and four defeats.
Next up is a crucial clash against FC Porto, scheduled for this Wednesday at 21:45 CET at Estadio do Dragao. You can follow that match with Flashscore here.