Jose Mourinho incredibly pleaded with his own supporters to stop berating ex-Benfica star Enzo Fernandez during their clash with Chelsea.<br /><br />The Argentinian midfielder ruined his relationship with the Lisbon-based club when he forced a move to the Premier League in 2023, worth some £120million. <br /><br />Benfica's Champions League clash with the Blues on Tuesday saw Fernandez face his former club for the first time since his departure - and there was certainly no love lost between him and the travelling Benfica support. <br /><br />As Fernandez limbered up to take a corner in front of the away end at Stamford Bridge shortly before half-time, Benfica fans brutally hurled drinks bottles and other items at him amid desperate pleas from Jose Mourinho to stop.<br /><br />The Portuguese boss, making his return to west London, even left his technical area to bound towards the away end and signal for them to their merciless targeting of Fernandez.<br /><br />After briefly delaying his corner, the Chelsea skipper on the night eventually escaped the abuse as he jogged away. <br /><br />Fernandez incredibly left the Eagles after just three months with the club in a move that left a particularly bitter taste in the mouths of Portuguese fans. <br /><br />Shortly after Fernandez's departure to London, Benfica president Rui Costa gave a scathing account of his conduct at the club. <br /><br />Enzo Fernández did not want to stay at Benfica. He didn't give us any chance,' the former Portugal international said. <br /><br />'I did my best, I'm sad, but I'm not going to cry for a player who didn't want to stay. When Chelsea arrived, it was really impossible to change his mind.<br /><br />'During deadline day, we found an agreement to sell Enzo to Chelsea in the summer, but he didn't want to stay.<br /><br />'From the moment Enzo realised [Chelsea would pay] the value of the clause, it was unrelenting. We tried to insist, but the player did not show any openness to continuing at Benfica.<br /><br />'I proposed to Chelsea that he stay until the summer for a lower value, but the player did not want to continue at Benfica – and this is when everything changed.'<br /><br />On a night billed as the return of the Special One to a club where he was so successful, Mourinho's side made a bright start to Tuesday's Champions League tie, squandering a few early chances. <br /><br />However, an own goal from Richard Rios put the hosts ahead on 17 minutes, a lead they held on to until the final whistle to win 1-0. It was far from an entertaining affair, but a much-needed win for Enzo Maresca nonetheless.<br /><br />Mourinho made a return to Benfica, where he began his coaching journey, a couple of weeks ago, after being dismissed by Fenerbahce. <br /><br />His side headed into the fixture against Chelsea unbeaten under the experienced 62-year-old.
