The Magpies manager, who grew up admiring the Portuguese coach, is excited to face the former Chelsea, Real Madrid, Porto, and Inter manager, as Benfica seek their first win of the season.
"He is someone I hugely admire, having come up against him before in the Premier League. As a younger coach, I really admired the teams he built at Chelsea, in particular,” Howe told reporters.
“He is definitely a visionary - someone that broke the mould in terms of how you manage and the different ways to do things, and then following his success through different clubs, leagues.
“Incredible, really, what he's achieved in his career. It's always a great opportunity for any club to go up against one of his teams. I'm looking forward to the challenge immensely and I think it's going to be a great game."