Jose Mourinho did not hide his admiration for Real Madrid in the lead-up to the UEFA Champions League playoff clash that will pit the Spanish club against Benfica in the second half of February. The Portuguese coach, currently managing the Lisbon club, commented on the draw for the continental tournament and made it clear that, in his opinion, Real Madrid are the main contenders for the title. Get a 20% discount on UEFA Champions League broadcasts in Spanish on DAZN. Mourinho spoke with the club's official channel, BTV, ahead of the league match against Tondela, which ended in a goalless draw. When asked about the pairing determined on Friday, he was direct in his analysis and recalled that his team's options were limited. "We only had two options, Real Madrid or Inter. We didn't have many alternatives. We drew the king," he stated. The Portuguese manager, who coached Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013, elaborated on his view and highlighted the historical weight of the Merengue club in Europe's most important competition. "The other day, when a Real Madrid player offered me his jersey after the match, I jokingly showed my colleagues the symbol it had, the 15 Champions League titles. He's the king, with all that implies. It's not just about history; we're going to play against who is surely the favorite to win this competition," he added. During his time on the Real Madrid bench, Mourinho reached the Champions League semi-finals in every season he was in charge, in addition to winning a La Liga title and a Copa del Rey, a track record that reinforces his deep understanding of the club and its competitive mentality in Europe. A recent precedent and a gesture that went viral. The match between Benfica and Real Madrid will also have a special element, as it is a rematch of the last time they faced each other in the league phase of the tournament. That match, played at the Estadio da Luz, ended with a 4-2 victory for the Portuguese team in a dramatic finish. The decisive goal came in the eighth minute of stoppage time and was scored by goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin,Benfica to advance in dramatic fashion and preventing the Spanish team from allowing qualifying directly for the round of 16. After that match, an image went viral and circulated throughout the football world. Thibaut Courtois, Real Madrid's goalkeeper, approached Trubin to congratulate him on his key save on the final free kick of the game. Mourinho didn't let this detail go unnoticed and publicly highlighted the Belgian goalkeeper's attitude. "I want to say one more thing: what Courtois did for Trubin is otherworldly. At the end-of-season galas, they always give out the Fair Play award. I would dare to say that, in the sadness of defeat, he found a moment to be happy for his colleague who did something extraordinary," the coach remarked. Mourinho went further and linked that gesture to the goalkeeper's career. "It doesn't surprise me, because he was my player. He's the best goalkeeper in the world, and with this attitude he showed that he'll go down in Champions League history, no matter what happens. What he did is incredible," he concluded.