Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez has confirmed José Mourinho will return to the Bernabéu more than a decade after his first spell ended. The announcement came via social media as part of Pérez's re-election campaign.
The deal however remains conditional. Reports indicate the appointment only becomes official if Pérez wins the upcoming election, scheduled for June 7. Sources claim Mourinho has already signed a three-year contract with Los Blancos— contingent on that outcome.
The numbers are doing most of the announcement work here, which is usually how teams prefer it.
From the Bernabéu Bench to the Ballot Box
Mourinho is set to replace Álvaro Arbeloa, who took over midseason after Xabi Alonso and couldn't stop the slide. Real Madrid finished trophyless amid what reports describe as a dressing room civil war.
Pérez's challenger, Enrique Riquelme, is also preparing to announce a major signing if elected. The political theater mirrors the sporting one—both camps dangling blockbuster moves to win votes.
A Divisive Legacy Returns
Mourinho's first Madrid stint produced the 2011-12 league title, a 100-point campaign with 121 goals. But history shows a pattern: explosive arrivals followed by unraveling. He won a Premier League at Chelsea in 2014-15 before collapsing. Manchester United similarly imploded. Subsequent gigs at Tottenham, Roma, Fenerbahçe and Benfica fell well short of those heights.
Already the controversy has followed him. In February, Mourinho defended Benficá player Gianluca Prestianni, who faced racism accusations involving Vinicius Junior. Mourinho suggested Vinicius Jr provoked the incident. Prestianni later admitted a homophobic slur—a lesser offense.
Iker Casillas, who clashed with Mourinho before, posted on X that he opposes the return. "He seems like a great professional," Casillas wrote. "I don't want him at Real Madrid. I think other coaches would be better equipped." The former captain called it personal opinion, nothing more.
Whether Mourinho can steady another fractured dressing room remains to be seen. What is certain: Pérez has staked his re-election on a familiar face with an unfamiliar recent record.