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As Benfica head to the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday for the second leg of their Champions League knockout-playoff matchup, it was meant to be a return of The Special One to his former place of glory.
Jose Mourinho managed Real Madrid from 2010 to 2013, winning a league title and a Copa del Rey but failing to secure a European crown.
Although he remains in charge of Benfica, who trail 1-0 on aggregate after a first-leg defeat in Portugal, Mourinho will not be on the touchline for the game, nor will he make a media appearance.
With the spotlight moved away from his expected return to the Spanish capital, and instead on his actions after the first leg regarding the alleged racial abuse of Vinicus Jr, Mourinho will not be the centre of attention as he has been throughout his career.
The Sporting News explains why he will not take part in the match, and why he has been allowed to skip facing the media before and afterwards.
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Mourinho will not be on the touchline for Benfica's game against Real Madrid as he must serve a suspension.
The former Blancos boss was sent off towards the end of the first leg after he was shown his second yellow card by referee Francois Letexier.
After Benfica were given a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area for a foul by Vinicius Jr, Mourinho was shown two yellow cards in quick succession after apparently arguing that the Brazilian should have been given a second caution for the offence. Instead, his angry outburst only served to earn him a red card.
Managers who are sent off in UEFA competitions are suspended for the following game. According to regulation 63.01:
As a rule, a player or team official sent off by the referee is automatically suspended for the next match in a UEFA club competition.
Thus, Mourinho will not take part in the match on the touchline for Benfica.
Why Jose Mourinho is not speaking ahead of or after Real Madrid match
Mourinho has exercised his right to avoid media questioning both prior to and after Benfica's second leg against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu on Wednesday. Instead, assistant coach Joao Tralhao will take the stand in both instances.
Normally, head coaches are required by rule to appear for both a pre-match press conference and post-match media availability.
However, because Mourinho was sent off in the first leg and is therefore suspended for the second leg, he is allowed to skip media duties and appoint his assistant coach to field questions instead.
Article 79.04 in UEFA's Champions League regulations states:
"Each club must hold a pre-match press conference the day before the match. Each press conference must be attended by the head coach of the team and at least one player. If the head coach is suspended for the match, clubs have the option of making the assistant coach available for the pre-match press conference instead."
The spirit of this rule is to afford the media the opportunity to speak with the individuals who partake in the match events itself.
Mourinho came under significant fire for his actions both during the first leg as well as after the match when he defended the club amidst allegations of racial abuse by Gianluca Prestianni against Vinicius Jr. He has also been linked with a return to Real Madrid to coach the team in the summer should the position currently held by Alvaro Arbeloa become vacant.
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