Nearly five months after leaving Benfica’s technical staff, Mário Silva gave his first statements to Record. The former Reds coach reflected on his tenure with the club and his departure.
Mário Silva expressed that Sporting’s dominance was already being challenged during his time and described his exit as a natural process. He also shared notable remarks, including the one highlighted in the article’s title.
Key Highlights from Mário Silva:
On His Time at Benfica
“In 14 months, we won two competitions and earned two bronze medals in the Champions League. Is that enough for a club like Sport Lisboa e Benfica? I don’t think so. It’s better than what had been achieved before, but it still falls short.
What I truly want is for Benfica to have more success than it did under me. We won 75% of the trophies in Portugal during that time, so Sporting’s dominance was already being disrupted.”
On His Departure
*”When you sense there isn’t a shared vision—which I hope Cassiano [Klein] will benefit from—all you can do is have an open and honest discussion. That’s what happened in a brief conversation with management.
It became clear that our paths had diverged, and Benfica needed someone who aligned with the vice-president’s [Fernando Tavares] direction.
As for me, even during the toughest moments in Benfica’s futsal history, I stood by my team and fans. I listened to their feedback—both positive and negative—because that’s my responsibility. Not everyone can say the same.”*
On Differences with Fernando Tavares
“The truth is, we [Mário Silva and Fernando Tavares] didn’t see eye to eye. I don’t hold any grudges. That won’t stop me from supporting Benfica from afar, as I’ve always been transparent about my loyalty.”