Jose Mourinho has admitted his Benfica team could not cope with the ‘horsepower’ of Newcastle United after their 3-0 defeat at St James’ Park.
Benfica were beaten in the Champions League on Tuesday night, as an Anthony Gordon goal and Harvey Barnes brace did the damage.
The Portuguese side are without a win in their three Champions League games, while Newcastle climbed into the coveted top eight with three points.
At full-time, Mourinho admitted there were ‘levels’ between the two teams.
“This tells me about the level of Newcastle United. We could not compete with their horsepower. We lost being compact and were exposed. It is just a case of levels…
“While the score was open and I think it was even unfairly open, because in the first half the team played well on the pitch, the players felt comfortable in a stadium with a palpable atmosphere.
“The danger they posed for us was obviously from set-pieces and everything indirect in the box, because it is difficult to compete with a team with this physicality. We had great chances to score, three or four. Before they scored, we had a beautiful shot from Lukebakio that hit the post. So, I reiterate that the first-half result doesn’t reflect the game at all.
“There is a team with a higher horsepower engine than the other. A team with much more intensity. A team with much more speed.
“As I said in the [pre-match) press conference, Newcastle have four lightning-fast wingers. They don’t have one or two. They have four! Anthony Gordon was man of the match.
“And when you change two who come on in the 50th or 60th minute, when you change one and then later change another, we were exposed as we lost the compact play we had in the first half.
“If we score a goal before them, if we reach half-time leading, [even if] we reach half-time tied, we can continue with the same type of organisation…
“The second goal, psychologically, kills us. The players felt the second goal deeply, then the game took a different turn, which was tough for us.”
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