The Portuguese coach was officially announced in his position at a closed-door event, where he emphasized the emotional aspect of his return to the club
After much anticipation, José Mourinho has officially begun his second stint as coach of Real Madrid. The Portuguese signed a contract on Tuesday for three seasons, until June 30, 2029, and returned to the bench of the Spanish team 13 years after his first departure.
The presentation took place privately in the boardroom of the Valdebebas training center, without an audience or media. Florentino Pérez accompanied the coach during the signing, while José Martínez "Pirri", honorary president of the club, was also present.
Mourinho alongside José Martínez "Pirri" and Florentino Pérez
As part of the welcome, Mourinho received a miniature replica of the Santiago Bernabéu stadium, a watch, and a personalized jersey with his name. After formalizing the agreement, he spoke briefly with the official media of the institution and made it clear that this return has a different significance than his first arrival. "The first time I came to Madrid was the top in my professional career, but now it is also, in addition to that, there is the emotional and affectionate side, so I believe this stage is more special than the first," he stated.
The Portuguese also defined his return as coming back to a place with which he never lost connection. "Then, there is the obviously emotional and affectionate side, and it's coming back home. Emotionally it's more beautiful than the first time I came because the first time it was a feeling of reaching the top of a coach's career and now it is this more emotional and affectionate side. More beautiful now," he emphasized.
Mourinho also emphasized that his commitment will be focused on daily work in Valdebebas and spoke about his identification with the club: "The important thing is to work for Real Madrid and I want it to be that way for everyone in Valdebebas. To the people, what I can say is that I am one of you, I have always been since I left."
The Portuguese coach will hold his first press conference on Friday since taking over, and on Saturday he will have his official debut when Real Madrid visits Espanyol at 16:30 (Argentina time) for LaLiga.
Mourinho's numbers at Real Madrid
In his first stint with the Merengue, the Portuguese coach managed 178 matches, of which he won 127, drew 28, and lost 23, with a record of 476 goals scored and 171 against. In terms of titles, "The Special One" won 3: Copa del Rey 2010/11, LaLiga 2011/12 (the historic campaign of 100 points), and Supercopa de España 2012.
