José Mourinho is one step away from starting his second stint as coach of the Real Madrid. According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Portuguese coach has reportedly reached a total verbal agreement with the club's management and will take over in the coming weeks, replacing Álvaro Arbeloa.
In the absence of an official statement and according to the information released so far, Mourinho would sign a contract for two years and travel to Madrid immediately after the match against Athletic Club at the Santiago Bernabéu, which is the closing match of LaLiga.
The almost confirmed return of the historic coach comes at a critical time for the White House, which is going through a deep sports and institutional crisis after a season without titles and with significant internal conflicts within the squad. In this context, the decision by the management led by Florentino Pérez to bring back the Portuguese coach responds to the urgent need to reorganize a team that has lost stability both on and off the field.
In addition to going through a title drought (having not won any since December 2024, when they won the Intercontinental Cup), the internal atmosphere at Real Madrid has notably deteriorated in recent months. One of the most impactful episodes was the strong confrontation between Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni, a fight that, according to reports in Spanish media, ended with the Uruguayan midfielder hospitalized.
On the other hand, there have also been questions raised about Kylian Mbappé, mainly for going on vacation with his partner Ester Expósito in the midst of recovering from an injury during the same week as the classic against Barcelona.
In this context, the management would once again bet on Mourinho's leadership and personality to undertake a deep reconstruction. The Portuguese previously managed Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013, and now, more than a decade later, he will return with the mission to restore order, rebuild team cohesion, and return the club to the fight for titles.
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.
