Jose Mourinho open to sensational Real Madrid return and it wouldn’t be first time president has tried to bring him back
Jose Mourinho is open to a sensational return to manage Real Madrid.
Benfica coach Mourinho was in charge of Los Blancos between 2010 and 2013, and retains a good relationship with president Florentino Perez.
Perez considered bringing Mourinho back in 2016 before Manchester United appointed the Portuguese boss.
Mourinho has not received a formal offer from Madrid but would relish a second stint with the 15-time European Cup winners.
Second-placed Benfica are unbeaten in the Portuguese league since Mourinho, 63, took over in September.
Porto were crowned champions at the weekend with two games to spare but Mourinho has earned plaudits for his work at the club he first coached in 2000.
Madrid were knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals and Barcelona will win LaLiga if they avoid defeat at home to Madrid in Sunday’s El Clasico at the Nou Camp.
Alvaro Arbeloa, who played under Mourinho at Madrid, replaced Xabi Alonso in January but the length of his contract is unknown.
Madrid lost to second-tier Albacete in the Copa del Rey in January and any realistic chance of silverware ended with an enthralling 4-2 defeat to Bayern last month.
Mourinho is contracted to Benfica until June 2027 and has long been touted for the Portugal national team role.
The Portuguese Football Federation approached Mourinho in 2023 but he declined their offer to remain in charge of Roma.
Mourinho led Madrid to three successive Champions League semi-finals, a Copa del Rey triumph and first LaLiga title in four years during his three-year spell at the Bernabeu.
The two-time Champions League winner served a touchline ban when Benfica played at Madrid in the Champions League play-offs in February after he was sent off in the first leg.
Mourinho returned to manage Chelsea after he left Madrid 13 years ago.
He went on to manage United, Tottenham, Roma and Fenerbahce before Benfica.