Man Utd can now save millions on 'admired' manager candidate thanks to Mourinho

Jose Mourinho's Benfica secured a dramatic 4-2 Champions League victory over Real Madrid, with the goal eliminating Marseille and potentially making Roberto De Zerbi available as a free agent

With no European football to focus on in 2025/26 following Ruben Amorim's disappointing 15th-place finish last season and failure to secure the Europa League crown in May, Manchester United supporters will have enjoyed plenty of choice regarding which games to watch on Wednesday evening.

And a famous Jose Mourinho victory may have provided Red Devils fans something to smile about amidst the club's absence. The Portuguese coach pulled off a stunning win over Real Madrid, and in doing so ensured Marseille did not qualify for the next round of the competition, leaving potential United target Robert De Zerbi's job hanging by a thread and a resignation has reportedly been handed in.

Benfica's encounter with Real Madrid at the Estadio da Luz was a sight to behold on Wednesday evening. From a neutral standpoint, the fixture, which concluded 4-2 in the hosts' favour, delivered everything any quality evening under the floodlights should provide: abundant excitement, an underdog overcoming the odds, and last-gasp theatrics.

While Real Madrid looked likely to also secure their place in the round of 16 headed into their match with a struggling Benfica, fate had other plans for Alvaro Arbeloa. Mourinho's side needed a miracle to have any hopes of qualifying for a knockout play-off place, given they trailed Marseille by three points and goal difference.

An already monumental challenge became what appeared to be an impossible mission for the Portuguese heavyweights when Kylian Mbappe broke the deadlock 30 minutes into the contest, but Benfica were resolute in their refusal to surrender without a battle. Andreas Schjelderup equalised six minutes afterwards, before Vangelis Pavlidis sparked optimism for the home side on the cusp of half-time with a calmly taken spot-kick.

Schjelderup appeared to set Benfica firmly on course to pull off a remarkable comeback nine minutes into the second period by completing his double, but Mbappe netted his second of the night four minutes later to deflate the home supporters' spirits.

As word reached the Estadio de Luz regarding Marseille's 3-0 thrashing by Club Brugge during the final moments of Benfica's encounter with Madrid, it represented a final opportunity for Mourinho's team, who required just one additional goal to leapfrog the Ligue 1 contenders into 24th place.

Two dismissals for Madrid during added time handed Benfica a significant boost, as Fredrik Aursnes prepared to deliver a high free-kick into the penalty area. Mourinho was spotted encouraging as many players as he could muster into the box, including goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin, for one final gamble.

In remarkable scenes, the keeper got the better of Madrid's backline in the aerial battle, heading home beyond a helpless Thibaut Courtois before racing away in celebration. The final whistle blew shortly after, as the home supporters went wild, recognising they had miraculously secured their place in the Champions League play-offs and been thrown a lifeline towards the knockout rounds.

Due to his tactical approach, Mourinho might just have spared Manchester United a considerable sum in their search for a new manager. Whilst Michael Carrick has flourished at Old Trafford since taking over from Amorim, there are suggestions he may not be offered a permanent position when the season concludes.

Carrick has merely accepted a caretaker role until the summer, when United are expected to review their choices and possibly settle on a more experienced boss with greater credentials, irrespective of Carrick's performance during the latter half of 2025/26.

Although Oliver Glasner is presently the frontrunner, another figure who has emerged in discussions is Roberto De Zerbi. Should United determine they favour the current Marseille manager over Glasner or alternative candidates, Mourinho may have just assisted his former employers.

Reports from France on Thursday afternoon indicated that De Zerbi's position is under serious threat following Marseille's exit from the Champions League, with claims that he was absent from Clairefontaine where his squad were preparing for Saturday's fixture against Paris FC.

RMC Sport also reports that talks are ongoing between all parties to reach a conclusion regarding the manager's future at his current club. Whilst nothing has been finalised yet, United would be spared having to pay compensation to Marseille should he be dismissed in the coming days, weeks or months, as he would be available as a free agent.

This would represent a significant advantage for the Red Devils, particularly given they may be reluctant to spend heavily on managerial appointments following Amorim's catastrophic spell at the club. United are believed to have paid Sporting CP approximately £10million to secure his services at Old Trafford in November 2024, as he was still under contract with the Portuguese giants at that time.

And considering they've just forked out a substantial sum to dismiss him earlier this month, combined with Sir Jim Ratcliffe's cost-cutting philosophy, it would be highly surprising if the Red Devils were to make the same mistake in their renewed search for a new permanent manager.