Mayer: video call with Van Gaal, Gambrinus and a reunion

The submission of any list to the governing bodies brings with it a sense of relief that's difficult to explain. It's not the beginning of anything, nor is it the end of everything; it generates that deep breath with an exhale that tastes of victory. Then, everything begins. In Martim Mayer's case, that beginning was marked by a video call with the Estádio da Luz as the backdrop. He places his brown leather briefcase against a chair, runs his hand through his hair, and smiles brightly when he sees the person on the other end. "Hello, Mr. Louis. I'd like to tell you that I'm now officially a candidate for the presidency of Benfica," he says with visible pride. Van Gaal, who was leaving the Algarve for Lisbon, is pleased with the news, congratulates him, and takes the opportunity to discuss the dress code for the meeting they would have shortly afterward in the capital. "You don't need to wear a tie. I'm wearing a tie because I have to, but it's red," the businessman replies. Everything was going as planned.

With the British punctuality he seems to have inherited from his grandfather, Duarte Borges Coutinho, Martim Mayer arrives at the park next to Estádio da Luz around 10:00 a.m., the time agreed with the other members of the list to submit all the documentation to formalize his candidacy for the presidency of the Luz club. He hurries along, greets everyone present with a smile, and accelerates at a pace that sometimes becomes difficult to keep up with. In this case, no problem: he would pass through gate 18 and continue straight ahead to inform the security guard that he had arrived to be received by the club's staff. While waiting, he meets and greets familiar employees, looks at the Benfica District project with that expression that makes it unlikely to be more than a model, is impressed by the array of handball players passing by, and turns up his nose when Kristian Olsen appears in an orthopedic boot.

His anxiety is unmistakable. He looks at his phone, which has a picture of his youngest daughter in the background (dressed in Benfica uniforms, of course), sees a few incoming messages, and waits to be called. As he ascends the escalators, he looks for a model of Seixal, similar to the one at Estádio da Luz, and is greeted by a club employee who takes him to the room where everything will be delivered. João Salgado, general secretary of the Reds for almost 25 years, acts as host. The lists are handed out, the digital media, which is also requested, is placed on the table, and a large Benfica flag is placed behind the table for the customary photo, which also includes Miguel Olazabal de Almada, the vice-presidential candidate with the legal department. "Excuse me, let me just arrange the paperwork and this Benfica symbol. I have OCD when it comes to these things," says Martim Mayer, who listens to João Salgado's stories about Benfica (even the phone's ringtone is a Benfica song).

To ensure nothing is missing, he grabs his left-hand pen and erases the remaining blank paper, saving the staff work. "Now you know how it is, we have to count all the signatures, validate all the votes... There are always those people who, for some reason, haven't paid their dues, others who sign twice, and so on," he hears. "Of course, I know how it is. But if you'd like and help, we have all the membership numbers organized in numerical order in a file; perhaps that would make things easier. We have well over ten thousand votes," the candidate replies, as he tries to organize things to produce such a list.

The other person in charge of the services who gathers all the information has been at Luz for even longer, but despite working at Benfica since the late 1970s, she hasn't crossed paths with the candidate's grandfather. "But it was a close call that he didn't work with him," she says. More than the club's influence that led him to declare himself a Benfica fan even before he was born, more than the sporting success achieved with seven Championships in eight years between 1969 and 1977, Martim Mayer, who still went by "Martim Coutinho" when he spoke to the newspaper Record in 2021 about the centenary Duarte Borges Coutinho would have celebrated if he were still alive, sees himself reflected in his grandfather's leadership as the leader of the Reds. With diplomacy, with sportsmanship, with that "art" of getting everyone rowing in the same direction and achieving success, with the sagacity to know how to hold on to Eusébio or how to make the million-dollar sales of Humberto Coelho to PSG or Jordão to Zaragoza, with the visionary streak to understand that Benfica's entire future depended on growing its infrastructure.

"After he died, my grandmother, Ana Maria Coutinho, continued to take us to the old stadium where he bought two lifetime boxes. My grandfather had seven daughters, and on those trips to Luz, we grew up proud, hearing stories about his character. These were very important moments for my generation, as we were raised with the values ​​of sportsmanship. My grandfather, even in his time, recognized Benfica's unique potential and knew it could aim to become one of the greatest clubs in Europe and the world because the foundations were there," he said, before recalling another story told to him by António Simões: "My grandfather promised to pay the players a bonus for each goal scored. Benfica scored three but only won 2-1 because the referee scandalously disallowed one. He corrected this injustice by paying the bonus for all three goals. He left behind values ​​that have passed down through generations and are still remembered. It was his most important legacy."

There's a lot of Duarte Borges Coutinho in Martim Mayer's thinking. He never enlisted as a volunteer pilot in the Royal Air Force to fight the Nazis in World War II, as his grandfather did, but he views life, football, and Benfica through the same guidelines. In 2012, when he was on Rui Rangel's list as vice-president (then as Martim Borges Coutinho), he began to consider the possibility of one day leading a bid for the club's permanent leadership. More recently, he met with other figures who would also form his lists, listened to everyone and everything, starting with his representative, António Simões, and worked hard to reach the polls over the past six months, including his first campaign appearances in the US during the Club World Cup. His main focus? Football, which would be the key point on this day he spent with Observador at his side.

Why did you decide to run for president of Benfica? Did you ever think twice during the election campaign? "I've never regretted it, nor will I ever regret it. I'm deeply motivated; my initial goals remain the same: to bring an international Benfica, to bring a concrete proposal for the club's future, something solid for the members to appreciate, verify, and see coming into Benfica. I don't see that in any other candidacy; it's at the root of my perception when I decided to run that this would be what would happen because I've been looking at Benfica for a long time, bringing together the right people…" – Was it in 2012, when it entered Rui Rangel’s list, that this little thing grew? "It started, that's when it started, and now I felt it was the right time to bring this proposal forward, with the right people. I understand it's a list and an idea that's unbeatable compared to the competition." You have the motto "Benfica in the Blood," and you're the grandson of one of the club's greatest presidents. Do you feel like when people look at you, they see the image of Duarte Borges Coutinho? – As president, there will be a lot of Duarte Borges Coutinho in me, but I can't hide behind him. He was him, and I am me. I have my skills, I have my personality, but many of the things he passed on to me are still there. Furthermore, it's an additional responsibility that I feel every day, that my team feels every day, and we want to live up to it. But I'm a person of commitment. I've turned around several companies, I entered the automotive industry without knowing anything, with a company that had many problems but had many good people, and together we managed to turn things around. I have six children and a deep family commitment, and that's also having Benfica in my blood. Having family in my blood, having devotion to work in my blood, having commitment in my blood. Duarte Borges Coutinho left a legacy full of stories, both at Benfica and elsewhere, or he wouldn't have been a pilot in the Royal Air Force during World War II. What inspires you most? – Look, I'm inspired by… [pause]… I'm inspired by a very generous way of being that manages to find the perfect balance between respect and human closeness. It was something that permeated her way of being, and I think her employees themselves recognize… [pause, visibly moved]

Football is the heart of Sport Lisboa e Benfica and is one of the main focuses of this candidacy's program. It's a fact that over the last 35 years, we've only won ten national championship titles and five Portuguese Cups. Considering all the national competitions competed, the failure rate was 80%. In the last five years, with three titles won out of 20 contested at the national level, only one of which was the national championship title, the failure rate rose to 85%. In 15 years, more than 1 billion was spent on player purchases and 1,700 million on sales. Of these sales, 652 million were for players trained by Benfica. If we exclude the value of youth academy player sales, the balance is close to zero. Continuing this line of reasoning, we must consider that in the last three years alone, Benfica bought 29 players and sold 45. Of the 29 players that started last season, 15 have already left, and of the ten who arrived during the season, half have. have also left”, he diagnoses in his program.

"With me, this paradigm will change, as will the foundation of football thinking. Sporting decision-making must be supported by a medium-term strategic vision, as do the most successful clubs in Europe. We will achieve this through five fundamental pillars: squad stability, reducing the number of inflows and outflows; planned renewals, protecting assets and avoiding unnecessary losses; training with a real impact, nurturing the first team with the talent the club feels; serious investment in infrastructure to boost revenue and assets; strict control of financial flows, with medium- and long-term planning (four to eight years)," he adds, before making "the" addition.

" A general director position should be created to manage and coordinate the entire football structure. This should be someone with an international profile and in-depth knowledge of the game, both technically and in resource management and human relations. Benfica's general director of football will be at the same hierarchical level as the A team coach and the director of football. The football coach and director will focus on the short term and planning the various competitions of the current season, while the general director will focus on the Academy, scouting , and the U-23 and B teams. The general director will ensure that the entire football structure adopts a playing model and philosophy that will be Benfica's identity. In this way, all levels will promote a style of play similar to that practiced in the A team, preparing athletes early in their careers and accelerating talent to make them available to the A team as soon as possible," he also proposes for the future of Benfica's football in the event of a victory.

There are a few other ideas, such as Formação Benfica 360, a program that will include an individual academic and training plan coordinated with parents, an attempt to retain talent for longer and maintain, update, and grow the infrastructure in Seixal. However, it was the general director who was the driving force behind everything else. In an expression he used on several occasions, "it's not just about saying what's needed, it's about showing how." This was Martim Mayer's next step on this long day, the result of several contacts he made with some world football figures like Valdano, Zidane, and Mateo Alemany, who listened to the candidate's idea until Van Gaal appointed Jonker.

– You've said many times that it's not enough to say what you want for Benfica; you have to explain how it's done. Is football the paradigmatic example of this on your show? This process has several phases, and the first involves diagnosis. We need to examine all areas of the club, see what's working well and what can be improved. Then, we need to discuss with experts in each area which paths we can decide to follow. Once we've decided on that path, we need to translate it into a concrete proposal. This applies to everything: sports, finances, infrastructure, football. That's what we did. We contacted competent people in each area. Benfica has this extraordinary characteristic: it's the biggest club in the world and opens doors to candidates from all four corners of the globe. Now, I can confirm that this is indeed the case. I spoke to people from five continents, and they all spoke to me, they all answered the phone, they all helped. And it's not for me, it's for Benfica. – What is the case with Louis van Gaal? – Mr. Louis van Gaal, when he works with me on Benfica's current structure and we try to understand where the areas need improvement, works to help, and out of respect for Benfica, he told me so himself. From the moment this happens, we have to know how to use this because Benfica allows it. Anyone who doesn't is not enhancing Benfica, and that's what I want most.

– Did you feel any difference in terms of the campaign after this announcement?

After Van Gaal's call, the candidate takes a few more photos with the Estádio da Luz as a backdrop, looks at his watch, and quickly goes downstairs to exit through gate 18 and get into the car that will take him to the airport in near-record time mid-morning. "And on top of that, I'm now driving this car, which isn't mine... The other day it braked suddenly, and only later did I realize it was a security issue," he says as he turns around the Cosme Damião roundabout and enters the Segunda Circular. He's on his way to the airport, wanting to set an example by arriving on time, but he can't even fathom the idea of ​​being late to greet the man who will be one of the day's protagonists. Meanwhile, he doesn't forget the "obligatory" call. "Leonor, you're talking to the first official candidate for the presidency of Benfica!" he says while speaking to his wife. "I just wanted to tell you this, we'll see you later," he adds as he looks for every space that will allow him to reach the arrivals area at Humberto Delgado Airport. And there's still time to share a first look at what the Modalities Campus could look like. Despite the nervousness, it's on time.

Martim Mayer's life is always packed. Exercise is always present, whether through tennis (which he started playing at the age of three, even reaching the top 20 national youth teams), padel, golf, or water sports – rugby, where he became a national champion and was an Under-19 international, is the only one no longer on the menu. Family is a fundamental part of his life, or he wouldn't have six children: four boys and two girls. Work is too. While still in college, studying Business Administration at Católica, specializing in Private Banking and Wealth Management at BCP and in Foreign Exchange, Financials, and Swaps at Banco Mello de Investimentos in London, he got his first job as a stockbroker. He worked at Siemca Broker, Banco Mello de Investimentos, BCP, Full Trust Asset Management, and Orey Financial. In 2013, he faced his greatest professional challenge of all.

It was there, over ten years ago, that he founded Flow International Holdings, a group that would later acquire Ibérica Indústria de Componentes Metálicos SA, a supplier to the automotive, defense, and electric mobility industries. Without having to lay off anyone— a symbol of this "victory"—he managed to turn the entire company around, began supplying materials to larger brands like Volkswagen and BMW, and managed to internationalize his brand, reaching 80% of his production abroad while expanding his operations to include electric bike-sharing systems. At 51, he sees things as always having something more to do or "invent." Benfica is his next challenge, and Andries Jonker is one of the key players in developing the driving force behind the entire football project.

The face of paradigm shift: Andries Jonker is Martin Mayer's general director for football

He bursts briskly into the arrivals area, greets a friend he meets along the way, begins pacing back and forth, almost studying the best place to wait, and cranes his neck to see when he arrives, dodging a sign ahead of the Portugal Football Summit, taking place at the Cidade do Futebol in Oeiras. The KLM plane had already landed; the Dutchman would soon be exiting through the arrivals gate. A discreet wave, a meeting at the end of the ramp, a hug that leaves Martim Mayer visibly proud. The journey was smooth, and the stories are beginning to be told. Jonker has never faced Portuguese teams in any European competition , but takes advantage of his arrival in Lisbon to stop at the Estádio da Luz and take photos next to the Cathedral and the statue of Eusébio, while gradually realizing that the "no" in "Benfica in the blood" isn't a negative word like it is in English.

"We were the first to submit the lists this morning. Today is the day six months of work will come to fruition," explains the candidate. "Now we're going to the hotel where the presentation will take place, and later we'll have a table booked at my favorite restaurant in Lisbon," he adds. More than ever, Mayer ignores the polls that give him a modest result and expresses confidence that he can still have a say in the first round of the elections. "I think polls are highly limited. If they are already so in politics, imagine here, where there are different voting weights..." he comments, recalling a poll that didn't pass muster with Benfica fans regarding the Lisbon City Council race, where 48% of Lisbon residents are Sporting fans and only 30% are Benfica fans: "But does anyone believe that there are more Sporting fans than Benfica fans in Lisbon? Anyone who believes that should come and argue with me."

At the Altis Hotel, a venue steeped in history linked to the football of the late Fernando Martins and FC Porto's training camps whenever she visits the capital, Catarina Valente Rodrigues, granddaughter of the businessman and former leader of the Reds, has everything ready in the room where Andries Jonker will be presented. Before lunch at the hotel's restaurant, there's room for rehearsals and formalities, with vice-presidential candidates José Bartolomé Duarte and Paulo Casimiro already in attendance (other members of the governing bodies would later join in). "We're seeing if Dani will come here, either today or tomorrow," he says. "Seriously? Does Dani still remember me?" Jonker replies in one of the rare moments during this phase when he cracks a smile—he's focused, interested in every detail, and eager to know who will be present. "One of the reasons I'm even more certain it was the right choice was a conversation we had about how the A teams are just the tip of an iceberg, where the most important things are hidden," he emphasizes to those present.

The Dutchman asks a few questions as Martim Mayer rehearses his speech. The candidate explains in English what he had said in Portuguese. It's time to descend from the 12th floor to ground floor again upon Van Gaal's arrival. He greets those present, recalls the 1962 European Champion Clubs' Cup final between Benfica and Real Madrid as soon as he sees António Simões ("But could anyone who loves football forget that 5-3?" he asks), exchanges a few words with former assistant Jonker, and makes a quick stop in the room before joining the entourage for lunch. "A quick lunch," says the industrialist, reminding them that the CEO's presentation is scheduled for 3:00 PM. He ends up being a few minutes late, but the room soon fills, with every chair bearing the sign "Martim Borges Coutinho Mayer 2025-2029" on their backs.

"Benfica has a new coach, a good football director, and needs a general director. The average tenure of a Benfica coach in its 121-year history has been one year and four months, or 16 months. We need someone who can handle everything below the tip of the iceberg, which is the A team. I want someone who will accompany me for the four years to provide stability to the project. We had to talk to a lot of people, we had to understand the changes that have occurred over time, but we managed it. Someone who knows how to manage a B team and an U-23 team, someone who looks at the youth academy without limits. In parallel, we need someone who knows how to talk to those who are there, with whom we work in the short term to achieve immediate results in the A team. We just need to broaden our horizons, be courageous, speak in the right forums, and work on Benfica in a broad and comprehensive way," Martim Mayer emphasized during Jonker's presentation .

The stories of Emre Çan, Saka and Iniesta with Van Gaal in the audience and “Benfica in the Blood”: Martim Mayer presents Andries Jonker

The 63-year-old Dutchman had a playing career at more modest clubs such as De Volewijckers, Volendam, De Meer, and ZFC, standing out above all for his work as a coach with stints at Barcelona (assistant), Bayern (assistant and interim coach), Arsenal (Academy director), and Wolfsburg (coach and assistant), having coached the Dutch national team for the last three years after serving as youth coordinator for the Netherlands Football Association. His role models include Rinus Michels, Johan Cruyff, and Louis van Gaal, with whom he worked at Barça and Bayern. He was now in the front row watching a presentation where he was singled out for praise by Arjen Robben and Arsène Wenger before sharing some stories from his decades-long career.

“Everyone can read about who I am, and I'll tell you what people don't know. I grew up in the north of Amsterdam, in a community where they work a lot with their hands. They paint, they work with wood. They're hard-working, honest, humble people. That's who I am, and I've kept that with me. I knew Benfica well, I wanted to read Martim's program, and it seemed written in the north of Amsterdam by those people who paint, who work with wood. It's made from the heart, it's made for the fans. Benfica needs to have a playing identity, a style that defines it. What? Winning, of course, but playing well, having an attractive game. Scouting needs to know what the ideas are, what we're looking for. Louis [van Gaal] at Bayern had everything, but there was a missing piece because he played with three forwards instead of two. That was missing. When Arjen Robben arrived, it turned out the way I wanted. I know Benfica hasn't been winning as much as we want, I know there's a strong desire to win. This is a big, global plan, and I'll be there.” very happy to join if that is the choice”, he highlighted, between career memories of the early years of Bukayo Saka, Emre Çan and Iniesta.

Martim Mayer, Louis van Gaal, and Andries Jonker speak after the presentation to the media. The entire atmosphere changes as the room begins to empty. There's almost a sense of duty accomplished, of a goal achieved, of pride. All of the candidate's children are present, the boys wearing "Benfica in Blood" t-shirts and his youngest daughter wearing a Benfica jersey. His wife, Leonor, also accompanies him every moment that follows. Less anxious, he takes off his coat, removes his tie, unbuttons his shirt, and stands on the rooftop of the Altis Hotel with Van Gaal and Jonker, chatting before walking down Avenida da Liberdade two hours later and closing the day with the Dutch team at a dinner at Gambrinus, where the team gathers. For him, the day would end there, too. Far from it. And after the many selfies requested by even waiters from the former European champion for Ajax along Rua das Portas de Santo Antão, who couldn't resist a lobster pie (Jonker opted for roast beef), Mayer heads to the last appointment on the agenda.

It's in Alfragide that the businessman will have his first debate with another candidate, in this case with João Diogo Manteigas, following accusations between them following the club's last General Assembly and a possible proposal the lawyer had allegedly presented to join his list as a director of the SAD. Accompanied by his campaign director, José Bartolomé Duarte, and Paulo Casimiro, he's the only one still looking at all the portfolios he's carrying. Football, sports, finance, infrastructure, the complete and bound Electoral Program, a call where he provides some information regarding how the debt is structured. The room is heated, but the industrialist remains cool – and while everyone present follows João Noronha Lopes' interview on CNN, after the losses of four of his companies were the lead story on TVI's Jornal da Noite, he looks at the notes he's bringing to this reunion.

João Diogo Manteigas arrives later, and only when they move to the podium do they cross paths and exchange greetings. They know each other, have attended General Assemblies together, and met before the final lists were published. This is what makes him pause for a moment to consider how he will treat the man who will be his "opponent" for almost two hours, while he picks out topics for his question to the other candidate and for his final message. "Fireman and firefighter," "liar," or "coward" were some of the terms heard in the opening minutes, before Mayer declared he wasn't "cut from the same cloth" as Manteigas or Noronha Lopes, and Manteigas accused Mayer of indirectly defending the main pyromaniac at the grand meeting—Luís Filipe Vieira. They discussed football, sports, the stadium, infrastructure, and finance. There were calmer periods, and others of "shock." Until, after a pause due to technical problems, the final part arrived with a “free topic” where everyone could ask a question.

“Being a pyromaniac and a firefighter at the same time is electioneering”: Martim Mayer points the finger at Manteigas (and also targets Noronha Lopes)

In terms of infrastructure, you're presenting a project to expand the Estádio da Luz by 15,000 seats, which has already been thoroughly studied and considered in terms of costs and revenues. You have the same idea about a Sports Campus. Has any candidate spoken to you about the possibility of taking over these projects if you don't win the election? – Ninguém falou comigo e eu tenciono também ganhar as eleições, terei alguma reserva em falar sobre esses temas até às eleições e à tomada de posse do próximo presidente. A partir do dia seguinte, caso não seja eu a assinar o livro de tomada de posse, deixo claro que as propostas ficam à disposição do Benfica. – Já falou sobre o gosto que teria em ver a Adidas como uma das acionistas minoritárias da SAD, com o clube a ficar com 67% tendo duas grandes marcas no capital social. Como é que isso pode ser feito com a dispersão que existe de ações ainda do que aconteceu no passado? – Vamos combinar uma coisa: no dia a seguir à tomada de posse, eu explico-lhe tim-tim-por-tim-tim a operação toda, até lá não posso. Aquilo que posso dizer é que é uma operação possível, que o clube pode ficar com 67% da SAD sem que tenha de entrar dinheiro novo com esforço do clube e também é possível encontrar espaço para, de forma unilateral, cada um desses novos acionistas tinham 10%. No dia 26 ou no dia seguinte à segunda volta tenho todo o prazer em voltar aqui e explicar tudo com o meu CFO. Eu sei explicar, sou um homem dos mercados, da banca mas é mais interativo virmos os dois.

– Em relação às finanças, aponta muito para a diferença entre receitas e custos, na ordem dos 70 milhões negativos e foi explicando como se diminui esse fosso. Nesta altura, é mais preocupante para o Benfica os custos a mais ou as receitas que deve potenciar mais? – Primeiro com os custos, têm crescido de uma forma avassaladora. Isso tem de terminar, não podem continuar a crescer e têm de levar uma pancada de 20% para baixo. É possível e é a primeira medida que se tem de mudar. Em cima de tudo isso está o nosso projeto de internacionalização, um Benfica que seja global em zonas em que temos comunidades de benfiquistas superiores a 100 mil adeptos. É aí que o clube tem obrigação de chegar, para os adeptos viverem o clube e poder encontrar novas fontes de receita. É uma medida que vamos tentar logo implementar embora tenha um a dois anos de tempo para começar a reverter receitas para o clube. Vai trazer receitas muito importantes para o clube.

– Na parte das modalidades, tem algo que o diferencia dos outros candidatos e que passa pela redução dos salários aumentando os prémios por objetivos desportivos, anexar ao rendimento e às vitórias a parte financeira. É só para as modalidades ou chega ao futebol?

“João Diogo, temos ouvido várias pessoas do universo do Benfica a fazer uma comparação entre si e o Bruno de Carvalho. Porque é que isso acontece?”, perguntou Martim Mayer. “Não sei, tem de perguntar a quem diz isso, não a mim, sou a pessoa errada. O Benfica é incomparável, não tem comparação com nenhum clube”, respondeu João Diogo Manteigas. Depois, uma inversão de papéis. “Alguma vez deixou de pagar quotas do Benfica?”, questionou João Diogo Manteigas. “Já deixei de pagar quotas duas vezes. Sabe, é que eu digo sempre a verdade, sempre. E posso desenvolver: tenho seis filhos, tive de lutar pela minha vida e houve alturas em que isso me fazia muita diferença. Mal consegui, recuperei o número de sócio e sou com muito orgulho o associado 5.206-1. Eu digo sempre a verdade”, respondeu Martim Mayer, que acabaria a pedir para que os associados não olhassem à ideia de “voto útil” por haver agora primeira volta nas eleições e que não ligassem também ao que dizem as sondagens que o colocam nesta altura na quinta posição.

– A certa altura do debate, quando João Diogo Manteigas lhe pergunta se deixou de ser sócio, explica com uma humildade que não é habitual de ver que nem sempre a vida permite. A forma como respondeu de forma espontânea pode ajudar a explicar o candidato que é? – Acho que ninguém se pode candidatar à presidência de um clube como o Benfica sem estar preparado para responder a verdade, quando lhe convém ou não convém. Essa responsabilidade deve ser transversal a qualquer candidato. Para mim foi natural dizê-lo, estou disponível para que todos os sócios vejam quem é que eu sou, para que vejam também os meus defeitos e conheçam as minhas fragilidades. Aquilo que quero é que quando exista um mandato que me seja dado para dirigir o clube haja plena consciência também de alguma parte que não seja tão boa. É assim que me dou a conhecer. Quero aportar muito mais coisas boa, coisas positivas, propostas, muito mais pessoas de qualidade. Temos que nos dar a conhecer em todas as partes, nas melhores ou nas piores…

– Que neste caso não é propriamente uma parte “pior”…

As 6 grandes ideias dos 6 candidatos à presidência: o que saiu das 6 entrevistas de meia hora na BTV

14 horas depois de ter entrado na porta 18 para oficializar a candidatura à presidência do Benfica, chegava ao fim o dia de Martim Mayer, que chegou a encostar-se um pouco na cadeira depois de duas horas num púlpito a debater e saiu ainda a transpirar pelo calor dos holofotes. Troca algumas palavras com a sua equipa, revela a sua satisfação pela forma como acabou a noite, encaminha-se para o carro. Finalmente vai para casa mas já está a pensar em tudo o que tem a fazer no dia seguinte. Até dia 25 de outubro, essa será a sua rotina.