<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Jose Mourinho looks like he\u2019s heading back to the massive time for a second spell at Real Madrid, and also you\u2019d be forgiven for wondering why.<\/p>\n
The \u2018Special One\u2019 has been getting less and fewer special in recent times as his managerial profession has spun downwards from Europe\u2019s best sides to the likes of Roma and Fenerbache. But Madrid have had a disastrous time by their standards and are heading in the right direction for a second trophyless season in a row for the primary time in 20 years. <\/p>\n
If there\u2019s one thing President Florentino Perez cares about greater than anything, it\u2019s winning.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s where he reportedly wants Jose to are available.<\/p>\n Madrid\u2019s biggest successes over the past 15 years got here with Zinedine Zidane and Carlo Ancelotti on the helm, two managers known for not overloading players with silly things like tactical instructions. <\/p>\n Perez tried to vary last 12 months by appointing a flowery modern coach in Xabi Alonso but sacked him as soon because the players decided they didn\u2019t like being told where to face or learn how to play. <\/p>\n Perhaps Perez thinks going back to basics will mark the beginning of a brand new era of continental dominance for Madrid.<\/p>\n Mourinho was being coy when asked a couple of potential return this week.<\/p>\n \u2018My next goal is to get Benfica to the Champions League.\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n \u2018If we win the following three matches, we\u2019ll play in Europe\u2019s biggest competition. That\u2019s the one thing on my mind.\u2019<\/p>\n Get punchy evaluation, transfer talk and previews of the most important games direct to your inbox every Friday. Enroll here.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Let\u2019s get the \u2018for\u2019 column out of the way in which first. <\/p>\n Madrid\u2019s players are higher than most other teams, so it only takes a little bit of motivation to show them from second place failures to league winners \u2013 Mourinho can probably still do this.<\/p>\n But even winning the league isn\u2019t enough at Madrid, where the Champions League and type of play are king, and it makes the \u2018against\u2019 column much meatier. Mourinho has had mixed results wherever he\u2019s been since his second spell at Chelsea resulted in tears in 2015. <\/p>\n On the pitch his teams are likely to look toothless and disjointed, and there\u2019s a way that his type of play doesn\u2019t work at the very best level any more \u2013 especially while you consider how difficult it’s to get the likes of Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe to do any type of defending.<\/p>\n That\u2019s on the pitch, but it surely\u2019s off the pitch where greater problems may lie.<\/p>\n Just this season Mourinho robustly defended Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni after he was accused of constructing a racist remark towards Vinicius within the Champions League. Prestianni denied this, admitted he was being homophobic as a substitute and got a six-game ban from UEFA.<\/p>\n Would Vinicius accept a manager who this week backed Prestianni yet again? <\/p>\n \u2018If I were within the stands, I\u2019d be applauding too,\u2019 Mourinho said after fans celebrated the winger\u2019s return to the pitch on Saturday. <\/p>\n Given Madrid\u2019s success relies on players feeling the love, it\u2019s hardly a match made in heaven.\u00a0<\/p>\n For more stories like this,\u00a0check our sport page<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Follow Metro Sport for the newest news on ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2262184028-7784.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646\")
\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\tHaving fun with this? Read more in Metro’s football newsletter In The Mixer\t\t\t<\/h2>\n
Would Mourinho be successful back at Real Madrid?<\/h2>\n
\nFacebook<\/a>,\u00a0<\/strong>Twitter<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n