Jose Mourinho closing in on Real Madrid return: ‘He’s already in the dressing room’
Updated: 9 May 2026 10:45 BST |
5 min read
Real Madrid are calling upon Jose Mourinho as their solution to the disciplinary crisis that is gripping the club, with the veteran manager having taken ‘significant’ strides back towards the Bernabeu.
Los Blancos have spent the season in turmoil, though things have increasingly become more chaotic following the appointment of Alvaro Arbeloa to the head coach role in January.
Arbeloa has found himself in a series of disputes with players behind the scenes, while the squad is squabbling amongst themselves. This came to a head this week when Federico Valverde was sent to hospital with a ‘traumatic brain injury’ following a clash with Aurelien Tchouameni.
All this has led to a hunt for a mole in the squad, which many players believe to be Vinicius Junior.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, who has seen his authority as the club’s figurehead continually underminedsees notorious disciplinarian Mourinho as the solution to the many issues the team faces.
Arbeloa will be sacked at the end of the season, with the Portuguese looking an increasingly sound bet to return to the Bernabeu.
Mourinho’s Real Madrid return picking up steam
Matteo Moretto reports on X: “Significant advances have been made for Jose Mourinho to Real Madrid. Florentino Perez wants him.
“Benfica are already looking for a replacement.”
Reports from numerous sources indicate that Mourinho is being kept abreast of what’s going on in the Spanish capital.
To Ball states that he is “already in the dressing room” while AS claims that he was “informed first hand” of the fight between Tchouameni and Valverde.
He has a release clause in his Benfica contract worth €3 million, which the Spanish source states that Real Madrid are ready to trigger.
Mourinho at Real Madrid the first time around
Jose Mourinho’s previous stint at Real Madrid head coach came from 2010-2013 and coincided with the great Barcelona team of Pep Guardiola, making his presence in the Bernabeu dugout box-office viewing.
His time at the club was marked by difficult relationships with some of his leading players, with battles against icons Iker Casillas, Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos notably causing tension in the locker room.
But Mourinho’s spikey personality also spilled over into clashes with other teams and the authorities. He notably poked Guardiola’s Barcelona assistant coach Tito Vilanova in the eye during a brawl while he also claimed that the Catalan side benefitted from favourable refereeing decisions both in Spain and in Europe.
All this served to make him a highly controversial character in Spain.
Mourinho gets a cool reception in Madrid
The idea of Mourinho returning to Real Madrid might be one that Perez is in favour of, but it has sparked controversy in the Spanish capital.
Former Real Madrid star Iker Casillas simply posted popcorn emojis as he responded to rumours linking Mourinho with a move back to the Bernabeu, while Guti has suggested that there are better options for his former club.
“Mourinho is a great coach, but frankly I think he’s past his best now. He comes from Fenerbahce, he took over Benfica at a very bad time,” the ex-Spain midfielder explained on DAZN.
“I think there are coaches in better shape than Mourinho or that I would sign.”
What’s Mourinho done since leaving Madrid?
Since leaving Madrid the first time around, Mourinho has coached at Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham, Roma, Fenerbahce and is now the Benfica boss.
While he may no longer be quite the incendiary character that he was, he still possesses the same personality and fiery personality traits, though in a somewhat watered-down manner.
His Benfica team remains undefeated in Liga Portugal this season but has been beaten to the title by Porto with two games left to play.
When asked about returning to Real Madrid in April, he said: “My next aim is to take Benfica to the Champions League.”
There is clearly momentum building behind this move, with Mourinho set to get what might be his final chance at a super club.
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