Bruno Lage's future clarity unveiled by Rui Costa, dispelling speculations
Rewritten Article:
Benfica's president, Rui Costa, has declared unequivocally that Bruno Lage will continue as the club's coach for the upcoming season, despite this year's championship title slipping away to rivals Sporting. During a press conference following Benfica's 1-1 draw at Sp. Braga, Costa expressed his support for Lage, who joined the club mid-season and has led them to the League Cup final and the Portuguese Cup final.
"Bruno Lage ain't no trouble for Benfica," Costa said, addressing the media in the mixed zone at Braga's Municipal Stadium after the match. "He ain't never been a problem, and he never will be. He took over mid-season, won the League Cup, made it to the final of the Portuguese Cup, and fought tooth and nail for the championship—so I can't blame him for this situation. He's double frustrated, 'cause he personally didn't win the championship and neither did Benfica," he explained.
Costa further addressed the team's disappointment and the upcoming Portuguese Cup final. "Even though we're feeling down and carrying a heavy weight tonight, the fact remains that next week, we've got another final to play. We'll accept this absence of a title reluctantly, but we gotta pick ourselves up, 'cause we've got seven more days until the final. I repeat, it doesn't erase the absence of a title, but it's another title, and Benfica needs to be prepared to win," he continued.
Costa on "The Failure": "We Ain't Good Enough"
Addressing the title loss to Sporting.
Bruno Lage, according to Costa, will be leading Benfica in the next season. As for Angel Di María, Costa explained, "When we begin the market deals on Monday, you'll know everything. As you're aware, his contract has expired. We'll discuss things with the player himself," he added.
It's worth noting that Bruno Lage is a Portuguese football manager who has had a successful career with several clubs. He had previous success with Benfica, where he won the league title in the 2018/19 season before managing Wolverhampton Wanderers in the English Premier League. After being dismissed from Wolves in October 2022, he returned to Benfica, taking over from Roger Schmidt as the head coach at the beginning of the 2023/24 season[2][3][5]. In the latest information, Lage remains the head coach of Benfica, having just wrapped up the 2024/25 season with the team, narrowly losing the league title to Sporting CP[2][4]. In fact, he was recently recognized as Coach of the Month in April 2025[3].
"Despite Bruno Lage not winning the European football leagues this season, his success in French sports like leading Benfica to the League Cup final and the Portuguese Cup final is commendable. In the upcoming season, Lage will continue as the coach for Benfica, just as he did the previous season in the English Premier League with Wolverhampton Wanderers."
"Moreover, the upcoming season might see the addition of Angel Di María to the team, as the club begins market deals on Monday and discussions with the player are planned."
