Jose Mourinho is set for a sensational return to Real Madrid. According to Fabrizio Romano, Mourinho is preparing to take charge at the Santiago Bernabeu more than a decade after his first spell at the club came to an end.
The official announcement should be expected at the end of the current La Liga campaign. The move would mark one of the most dramatic managerial returns in modern football.
After spells at Chelsea, Manchester United, AS Roma and Benfica among others, "The Special One" is preparing to take the reins in Madrid once again, tasked with rescuing Los Blancos from a chaotic, trophyless 2025/26 campaign.
Why Real Madrid Are Turning Back to Jose Mourinho
To understand why Florentino Perez is turning back to Jose Mourinho, it is necessary to examine the scale of Madrid’s collapse this season.
After the departure of Xabi Alonso earlier in the campaign, former defender and academy coach Alvaro Arbeloa was placed in charge as interim manager.
However, the experiment did not deliver the stability Los Blancos needed. Under Arbeloa, Madrid recorded 16 wins and eight defeats across 26 matches. The club suffered embarrasing defeats to Albacete and Bayern Munich in cup competitions, and fell 11 points behind Barcelona in the La Liga standings.
To rub salt in the wound, they suffered a damaging 2-0 defeat in the most recent El Clasico which confirmed Barca as La Liga champions for the season.
However, the on-pitch struggles only tell half the story. Madrid desperately needs Mourinho to fix a deeply fractured dressing room. The squad has been plagued by severe indiscipline and infighting. Mourinho has a handful of problems that he needs to solve.
Real Madrid’s Dressing Room Problems Have Escalated
A widely reported physical altercation took place at the Valdebebas training ground between key midfielders Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde.
The altercation was so severe that the Frenchman pushed Valverde down and gave him a concussion, which led to the Uruguayan having to go to a hospital and missing El Clasico. Mourinho will be expected to control physical outbursts like this among players inside the locker room.
Mourinho Will Be Expected to Handle the Mbappe Situation
Kylian Mbappe drew intense fury from the Spanish press and supporters after traveling to Italy for a vacation while ostensibly recovering from a hamstring injury. Furthermore, reports surfaced of Mbappe showing egoistic behavior and targeting teammates following a frustrating result against Real Oviedo.
Publicly as well, the Frenchman has recently gotten into a verbal back and forth with his manager after having been dropped from the squad for El Clasico.
Florentino Perez recognizes that the current squad lacks an authoritative leader. Mourinho, historically known for ruling his dressing rooms and not tolerating any ego, is being brought in specifically to strip away the sense of entitlement and restore order among Madrid's megastars.
The Benfica Clause Behind Mourinho’s Return
Mourinho’s return comes after a highly unusual spell at Benfica. He was appointed in September 2025 to rescue the Portuguese club’s season, he managed to deliver an unbeaten Primeira Liga campaign.
However, the achievement came with a major contradiction. Benfica did not lose a league match, but 11 draws meant they still failed to win the title or qualify for the Champions League. It was an invincible season but not one of the same level as Arsenal or Bayer Leverkusen.
The Portuguese club concluded their season this past weekend on May 17, 2026, with a 3-1 victory over Estoril Praia, featuring goals from Richard Ríos, Alexander Bah, and Rafa Silva.
After the match, Mourinho hinted that clarity over his future would come quickly: “From Monday onwards I’ll be able to answer questions about my future as a coach and Benfica’s future,” he said.
Financially, the move is also relatively simple for a club of Madrid’s size. Mourinho’s Benfica contract reportedly contains a release clause allowing him to leave for €3 million, provided it is activated within 10 days of the Portuguese season ending. With the Eagles’ season now complete, Los Blancos seemed to have activated that clause to bring Mourinho to Madrid.
What Squad Will Jose Mourinho Inherit at Real Madrid?
Romano noted that Madrid is fully prepared to back Mourinho in the summer transfer window and give him significant influence over the shape of the squad. That support will be especially important in defense.
Eder Militao remains sidelined with a long-term injury, while Dean Huijsen has yet to fully justify his major transfer fee. Veteran defenders Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba are also reportedly facing uncertain futures.
Mourinho’s tactical identity has always depended on defensive reliability. Echoing the sentiments of the fans and Perez himself, he will make sure strengthening the defense at the club will be his first priority.
Raul Asencio is viewed as a useful rotational option, but Mourinho would probably want elite, world-class additions before fully committing to the next phase of the project.
Can Mourinho Rebuild Real Madrid Again?
Thirteen years have passed since Mourinho last paced the touchline at the Bernabeu. During his first explosive spell between 2010 and 2013, he achieved immortality by disrupting Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona dominance. His legendary 2011/12 squad remains one of the greatest in Spanish history, winning La Liga with a record-shattering 100 points and 121 goals scored.
But now, the dressing room is different. Player power is stronger, media pressure is more constant, and Mourinho is no longer seen as authoritative as he did back in the early 2010s.
He is returning as a manager who himself will be tested by a new generation of superstars.
The dressing room dynamics are arguably more complex than ever. But, Fabrizio Romano's words would still be music to the ears of Madridistas who want their club back. Because they have something to look forward to now, as the Special One has finally returned.
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