{"id":2702,"date":"2026-05-01T00:18:08","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T00:18:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=2702"},"modified":"2026-05-01T00:18:08","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T00:18:08","slug":"mourinho-breaks-silence-on-real-madrid-return-and-addresses-biggest-lie-in-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=2702","title":{"rendered":"Mourinho breaks silence on Real Madrid return and addresses \u2018biggest lie in football\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p>                                            Updated: 29 Apr 2026 11:35 BST                                                                                            <span class=\"article-publish-date__separator\">|<\/span><br \/>\n                                                4 min read                                                                                    <\/p>\n<figure class=\"large-img\">\n                                                <picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/static.footballtransfers.com\/images\/cf\/image\/upload\/9811f4c8-e916-45cb-4eaf-0ac0b8b7dc00\/w=1200,h=675,quality=95,fit=cover,format=auto\" media=\"(min-width: 960px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/static.footballtransfers.com\/images\/cf\/image\/upload\/9811f4c8-e916-45cb-4eaf-0ac0b8b7dc00\/w=640,h=360,quality=95,fit=cover,format=auto\" media=\"(min-width: 480px)\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-image-size=\"retina\" class=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" alt=\"Jose Mourinho, Real Madrid\" src=\"https:\/\/static.footballtransfers.com\/images\/cf\/image\/upload\/9811f4c8-e916-45cb-4eaf-0ac0b8b7dc00\/w=1200,h=675,quality=95,fit=cover,format=auto,q=95\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/picture><figcaption><figcaption>\u00a9 IMAGO <\/figcaption><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"author\">\n<figure class=\"author-thumb\">\n                                                        <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-image-size=\"not_specified\" class=\"\" width=\"112\" height=\"112\" alt=\"Robin Bairner\" src=\"https:\/\/static.footballtransfers.com\/images\/cf\/image\/upload\/footballcritic\/kztnrlsgh85ogtiqtjxb\/w=112,h=112,quality=75,fit=cover,format=auto\"\/>                                                    <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Jose Mourinho has spoken out about the possibility of returning to Real Madrid after he was linked with a shock summer move to the Bernabeu side, where he has already had two previous spells.<\/p>\n<p><center class=\"p-1 light-grey-bg\">Article continues under the video<\/center> <\/p>\n<p>Current Madrid boss Alvaro Arbeloa is expected to leave the club after failing to steer the side he inherited from Xabi Alonso to success either domestically or in the Champions League.<\/p>\n<p>Alonso was sacked for losing control of the dressing room, and <b>Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has earmarked Mourinho<\/b>who is currently head coach at Benfica, as the man who can both discipline the squad and lead it to titles, according to respected insider David Ornstein.<\/p>\n<h2>Mourinho gets a cool reception in Madrid<\/h2>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>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 <b>Guti has suggested that there are better options<\/b> for his former club.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMourinho is a great coach, but frankly I think he\u2019s past his best now. He comes from Fenerbahce, he took over Benfica at a very bad time,\u201d the ex-Spain midfielder explained on <a title=\"DAZN\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DAZN_ES\/status\/2047748604459155774\" target=\"_blank\"><b><i>DAZN<\/i><\/b><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think there are coaches in better shape than Mourinho or that I would sign.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-md-12 p-0 d-flex image-container\">\n<figure class=\"article-image\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/static.footballtransfers.com\/images\/cf\/image\/upload\/659a1f6a-25c1-4293-568b-d7c243977e00\/w=640,h=800,quality=95,fit=cover,format=auto\" media=\"(min-width: 480px)\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-image-size=\"retina\" class=\"lazyload\" width=\"750\" height=\"938\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Guti on Jose Mourinho: He's past his best!\" src=\"https:\/\/static.footballtransfers.com\/images\/cf\/image\/upload\/659a1f6a-25c1-4293-568b-d7c243977e00\/w=750,h=938,quality=95,fit=cover,format=auto,q=95\"\/><\/source><\/picture><figcaption>\u00a9 IMAGO &#8211; Guti on Jose Mourinho: He&#8217;s past his best!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Mourinho on Real Madrid return<\/h2>\n<p>The Portuguese was asked about the rumours for the first time in an interview with <i>Sport Mediaset<\/i> (via <b><i>Corriere dello Sport<\/i><\/b>).<\/p>\n<p>Mourinho dodged the question, stating: \u201cMy next aim is to take Benfica to the Champions League.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In order to achieve this, Benfica will have to finish second in Liga Portugal. Although they are currently undefeated, Sporting CP are only three points behind with a game in hand and a superior goal difference.<\/p>\n<div class=\"col-md-12 p-0 d-flex image-container\">\n<figure class=\"article-image\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/static.footballtransfers.com\/images\/cf\/image\/upload\/76f6ad02-a812-462a-f62a-6ea5ff985a00\/w=1200,h=674,quality=95,fit=cover,format=auto\" media=\"(min-width: 960px)\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/static.footballtransfers.com\/images\/cf\/image\/upload\/76f6ad02-a812-462a-f62a-6ea5ff985a00\/w=640,h=359,quality=95,fit=cover,format=auto\" media=\"(min-width: 480px)\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-image-size=\"retina\" class=\"lazyload\" width=\"750\" height=\"422\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Jose Mourinho, Benfica\" src=\"https:\/\/static.footballtransfers.com\/images\/cf\/image\/upload\/76f6ad02-a812-462a-f62a-6ea5ff985a00\/w=750,h=422,quality=95,fit=cover,format=auto,q=95\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/picture><figcaption>\u00a9 IMAGO &#8211; Jose Mourinho, Benfica<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h2>\u2018It\u2019s the biggest lie in football\u2019<\/h2>\n<p>Mourinho, a veteran of such sides as Manchester United, Chelsea and Inter Milan, hailed Nerazzurri head coach Christian Chivu as well as Porto boss Francesco Farioli.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMany coaches today end up on the bench because they know how to promote themselves,\u201d Mourinho argued.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLet\u2019s face it, the idea that the game plan is more important than the results is the biggest lie in football.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m happy that Chivu could win the Scudetto with Inter. When I coached him, I never thought he\u2019d be a coach. He didn\u2019t seem destined for success. But he was intelligent, he studied and worked his way up. It didn\u2019t happen overnight.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIs Farioli the new Mourinho? He\u2019ll deservedly win the title with Porto. You might not like the way he plays or communicates, but when you win, you win.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Related stories:<\/h2>\n<p><b class=\"arrowed\">Five players who could leave Real Madrid this summer<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b class=\"arrowed\">Transfer Rumours: Arsenal barge into Kroupi race as \u20ac92m Chelsea battle confirmed<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b class=\"arrowed\">Champions League top scorers 2025\/26: Kane moves closer to Mbappe in UCL classic<\/b><\/p>\n<h2>  The FootballTransfers app <\/h2>\n<p>Check out FootballTransfers&#8217; new app for all of football&#8217;s big storylines, transfer rumours and exclusive news in one convenient place directly on your mobile device.<\/p>\n<p>The FootballTransfers app is available on Google Play and in the Apple App Store. Download here:<\/p>\n<p><b>\u2022Google Play<\/b><\/p>\n<p>\u2022App Store<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Updated: 29 Apr 2026 11:35 BST | 4 min read \u00a9 IMAGO Jose Mourinho has&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2703,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2702","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chelsea"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2702","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2702"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2702\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2703"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2702"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2702"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2702"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}