Jose Mourinho - 'I don't see the drama' with choosing Daley Blind for penalty

ByEurosport

Updated 31/10/2017 at 23:24 GMT

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has said that he doesn't see the drama for choosing Daley Blind to take the second penalty against Benfica on Tuesday.

Daley Blind of Manchester United and Jose Mourinho, Manager of Manchester United embrace during the UEFA Champions League group A match between Manchester United and SL Benfica at Old Trafford on October 31, 2017 in Manchester, United Kingdom.

Image credit: Getty Images

Having seen Benfica keeper Mile Svilar save Anthony Martial's spot-kick in the first-half, Mourinho was under no illusion as to who he wanted to on the ball when Marcus Rashford was fouled in the area.

Whilst Romelu Lukaku and Ander Herrera argued, Mourinho called Blind over and made it clear he wanted the Dutchman to take it, gesturing to the other two so they knew as well.

Blind calmly slotted the penalty away to give United a 2-0 lead that they held, leaving them on the brink of the knock-out stages.

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Manchester United's Dutch midfielder Daley Blind scores their second goal from the penalty spot during the UEFA Champions League Group A football match between Manchester United and Benfica at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England on October 31,

Image credit: Getty Images

Speaking after the game Mourinho seem confused by the furore over his decision to step him.

"I don't understand why everyone asks me the same, I am paid to take decisions good or bad.

"In the first half, the decision was bad. In the second half, I made another decision and I don't see the drama.

"The penalty-taker for this match was Martial, he was not even on the pitch for the second one. Romelu wants to take, he has the personality and character to take the responsibility, Herrera was the same, but my decision was based on training in the past couple of days.

Manchester United's Dutch midfielder Daley Blind (C) celebrates with Manchester United's Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan (L) and Manchester United's English midfielder Scott McTominay (R) after scoring their second goal from the penalty spot

Image credit: Getty Images

"The players respected my decision and that was it, end of story."

Mourinho was equally surprised when he was told by BT Sport that his team had still not qualified despite four straight victories.

"We have not qualified yet? Four victories and it is still not enough? We must get that point from the two remaining matches.

"I don't know what is the importance [of finishing top] because sometimes a team finishes first and gets a difficult draw against second and sometimes you get second and get somebody you didn't expect, so I don't know.

Manchester United's Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho gestures as he leaves after the UEFA Champions League Group A football match between Manchester United and Benfica at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England on October 31, 2017. Manchester Unite

Image credit: Getty Images

"What I know is we want to win the maximum points, we didn't qualify yet, so we are going to try to win the next two matches and finish with 18 points. It would be nice.

"The last time Manchester United was in the Champions League they finished third and went out so it would be nice to do it and we will try."

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