Real Madrid name Mourinho coach for 2nd time
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- Real Madrid confirmed Mourinho's appointment on a three-year contract after paying €15M compensation to release him from Benfica, replacing Álvaro Arbeloa
- Florentino Pérez made Mourinho's return a reelection promise, alongside pledges to sign Ibrahima Konaté and Denzel Dumfries and bid €150M for Julián Álvarez — an offer Atlético Madrid rejected earlier this week
- The Portuguese coach inherits a team that has gone back-to-back seasons without silverware under Carlo Ancelotti, Xabi Alonso, and Arbeloa
- In his first Madrid stint (2010–2013), Mourinho won one LaLiga, one Copa del Rey, one Supercopa de España, and reached three Champions League semifinals
- It has been four years since Mourinho last lifted a trophy — the Conference League with Roma — and over a decade since his last league title, the 2014-15 Premier League with Chelsea
- Benfica went unbeaten in the Portuguese league under Mourinho but finished third behind Porto and Sporting, and were eliminated by Real Madrid in the Champions League knockout phase playoffs
Why it matters: Pérez has staked his presidency on a coach who hasn't won a trophy in four years or a league title in 11, with the €15M buyout and three-year commitment signaling Madrid want a quick reset. The contrast is sharp: Mourinho's Benfica were actually knocked out by his new club in this season's Champions League playoffs.
