The Portuguese team Benfica is preparing to face its guest, the Spanish team Real Madrid, in the first leg of the playoff qualifying for the round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League, in a match held at the Estádio da Luz in the Portuguese capital, Lisbon.

During the press conference preceding the match, Benfica's head coach José Mourinho confirmed the readiness of some of his players for the game, saying: 'Orsenis and Didic are ready, and tomorrow there is training and something unexpected can always happen, but looking at the past two days, I can say they are available to participate.'

Mourinho spoke about the strength of Real Madrid, considering the Spanish team the top contender to win the UEFA Champions League this season, adding: 'The Real Madrid I expect is the top contender to win the Champions League; they have the quality, history, and everything needed to compete for the title.'

The Portuguese coach pointed out that Real Madrid has changed a lot compared to the previous encounter between the two teams, affirming: 'Forget the match we played here weeks ago; Real Madrid is now a completely different team.'

He explained that the coaching staff of the royal team succeeded in reorganizing the team after a difficult period, saying: 'The new coach understood what happened and adjusted the team in terms of structure and organization, succeeding in getting out of a tough situation after a heavy loss to achieve three consecutive wins in the league.'

Mourinho also emphasized that collective organization is more important than individual names, explaining: 'The return of players like Rudiger and Alexander-Arnold is important, but what matters to me is not the individuals, but the way the team is organized and its structure. Real Madrid has become more solid and balanced.'

The Benfica coach issued a clear warning regarding the psychological factor of the opponent, saying: 'Imagine Benfica lost 4-0 and then, two or three weeks later, had the chance to face the team that crushed them; this is Real Madrid's motivation now. We must realize they will be a very dangerous opponent.'

Mourinho concluded his remarks by stressing the importance of focus in the European encounter, pointing out that UEFA Champions League matches are decided by small details, and affirming that his team will enter the match with the ambition to achieve a positive result that keeps their hopes in the competition.