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The Special One returns to the Bernabeu. Will he save the royal team or stir up chaos?
It’s already happening. After months of speculation and repeated talk of Jose Mourinho’s return to Real Madrid, Florentino Perez has finally decided to go ahead with his plan, bringing the Portuguese coach back to the Santiago Bernabeu 13 years after his first spell ended amid a tense atmosphere and bitter infighting at the club.
Widespread reports confirmed on Monday that Real Madrid management had reached a definitive agreement with Mourinho to take charge of the team for a second term, a move that recalled one of the most controversial periods in the club’s modern history.
While Mourinho’s name has been bandied about in recent weeks as the front-runner to replace Alvaro Arbeloa, who took over after Xabi Alonso’s sudden departure last January, the timing of his return is still shocking to many.
“Real Madrid” is now in real chaos. The management is under increasing pressure, injuries are ravaging the squad, tensions are rising in the dressing room and angry fans have gone so far as to demand the sacking of some key stars.
Bringing Mourinho back under these circumstances seems to add more fuel to an already burning fire.Jules“..But who are the real beneficiaries and victims of this exciting move?”
Winner: Jose Mourinho
For Mourinho, a return to Real Madrid is a unique opportunity to revive his coaching career, which has lost much of its luster in recent years.
The Portuguese coach was once regarded as the best coach in the world, especially after his historic achievements with Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan, culminating in a European treble with Italy in 2010.
When Mourinho first arrived at Real Madrid, he was at the height of his glory and his strong personality and confrontational style were seen as one of the keys to success. Today the situation is completely different.
Mourinho has not won the domestic league title since 2015 and recent spells with Manchester United, Tottenham, Roma and Fenerbahce have not met with the expected success. In fact, many of those clubs looked comfortable after his departure.
Although the Portuguese manager has continued to criticize young managers and question their abilities in recent years, the truth is that his recent record does not give him a clear advantage to land a job as big as Real Madrid.
For that reason, his return seems like the ultimate chance to prove that he is still capable of competing at the highest levels of European football and that the ‘Special One’ persona has not completely lost its hold.
Loser: Florentino Perez
On the other hand, Florentino Perez seems to be repeating an old adventure with all its details. The Real Madrid president has always believed that the club needs a strong personality who can control the dressing room and deal with the immense pressure surrounding the team. That is why he always preferred coaches with a commanding presence.
But Mourinho is very different from Zinedine Zidane or Carlo Ancelotti, who managed to manage stars calmly and intelligently while maintaining balance within the team. Mourinho does not calm the atmosphere, but rather creates tension wherever he goes. His style is based on confrontations, be it with players, media, referees or even the administration.
Despite his success in overcoming Barcelona’s dominance during his first spell, winning the Spanish league title and the Copa del Rey, the attempt ended in disaster after he lost the support of a number of senior players, led by Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos.
Football has also changed a lot since then, while Mourinho’s psychological and motivational influence is no longer what it once was, making Perez’s bet fraught with huge risks.
Most dangerously, the Real Madrid president has put a large part of his reputation and his managerial future on the line with this decision, as any further failure could be a severe blow to his leadership in light of the anger at the club.
Winner: Barcelona
Mourinho’s return to “Barcelona” seems more interesting news than real fear.
Hansi Flick knew that Xabi Alonso’s project could pose a long-term threat to Barcelona, especially as the Spanish coach tries to build a team based on teamwork and modern ideas. But the project’s rapid collapse and Alonso’s sacking after just a few months revealed the extent of the administrative confusion within Real Madrid.
Although Mourinho has a relatively successful history against Barcelona, leading Real to La Liga and Copa del Rey wins in his first spell in charge, the current circumstances are completely different.
Barcelona are experiencing a state of technical stability, relying on a cohesive young group of La Masia graduates, while Mourinho enters a divided dressing room full of tension.
Therefore, many can see Barcelona as the biggest beneficiary of this comeback, especially if Mourinho’s confrontational personality turns into a new factor that increases Real’s worries.
Loser: Vinicius Jr
Of all the Real Madrid players, Vinicius Junior seems to have suffered the most from Mourinho’s return.
Relations between the two sides are already strained following the Portuguese coach’s previous statements about the events that took place in the Champions League match against Benfica, when Vinicius was racially and verbally abused.
Mourinho had hinted at the time that the Brazilian’s actions had contributed to inciting fans against him, sparking outrage as his comments appeared to indirectly place responsibility on Vinicius for the abuse he was receiving.
This background makes it difficult to expect a stable relationship between the two sides, especially in light of the ongoing controversy over the future of the player, who is out of contract next year amid growing talk of a possible move to a major European club.
Winner: Media and Broadcast Rights Holders
Love him or hate him, Jose Mourinho remains one of the most controversial and media-grabbing figures in world football.
The Portuguese coach has a unique ability to create exciting headlines and turn any press conference into a huge public event.
For this reason, his return to Real Madrid is ideal news for broadcast networks and media, as the team’s matches will have a huge following from both Mourinho’s supporters and his critics.
Mourinho leaves no one neutral and this is the biggest marketing value he adds wherever he goes.
Loser: Spanish football
Mourinho’s return to Real Madrid also means a return to one of the most tense periods in Spanish football history. The Clásico between Real Madrid and Barcelona during Mourinho’s presence was full of clashes, accusations and tensions that transcended the boundaries of sporting rivalry.
Gerard Pique has previously accused Mourinho of “destroying Spanish football”, while Andres Iniesta has spoken of the toxic atmosphere the Portuguese coach has instilled in players from both teams and its negative impact even on the Spanish national team.
Iker Casillas later revealed that he tried to intervene to calm the situation with the Barcelona players, as the continuation of that war threatens the stability of Spanish football as a whole.
In light of the tensions between Real Madrid and Barcelona, and the mutual accusations between the two clubs about arbitration and influence in the football system, Mourinho’s return at this particular time seems a risk that could reignite the atmosphere of division and chaos.
Therefore, many believe that the “Special One” is not only returning to Real Madrid, but also returning to the entire Spanish football to face a new phase of tension and clashes.
