Manchester United vs Benfica: Why I told Lukaku to hand over penalty to Blind – Mourinho

Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho has explained his decision to stop striker, Romelu Lukaku from taking a penalty against Benfica in the Champions League game on Tuesday night.

The Red Devils took a step closer to qualification from Group A, with a 2-0 win over Benfica at Old Trafford.

The second goal of the night came through a Daley Blind penalty after Mourinho had told Lukaku he could not take spot kick.

After substitute, Marcus Rashford was brought down in the box, Lukaku grabbed the ball.

Then the Portuguese gaffer gestured to Ander Herrera, and then Lukaku himself, that the £75 million striker should pass the ball to Blind.

Anthony Martial had already seen a first-half penalty saved by 18-year-old goalkeeper Mile Svilar.

Mourinho told a postmatch news conference, “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.

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

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