Mourinho rumours continue as Madrid president calls press conference
FILE PHOTO - Then AC Roma coach Jose Mourinho pictured before the 2023 UEFA Europa League semi-final, second leg soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and AS Roma at the BayArena. Federico Gambarini/dpa Real Madrid president Florentino Perez will address the media on Tuesday evening amid reports Jose Mourinho has agreed to return to the club as head coach. The Portuguese is reported to have struck a deal with the Spanish club’s management, with Perez said to be the main driver in bringing Mourinho back to the Bernabeu.
Mourinho has been at Benfica since 2025 and previously served as Real Madrid coach between 2010 and 2013. In his first spell Real won La Liga in 2012 and the Copa del Rey the season before. He moved to Madrid off the back of winning the Champions League with Inter Milan.
The 63-year-old left Madrid by mutual agreement at the end of the 2012-13 season. Real appointed Alvaro Arbeloa as interim head coach in January following the departure of Xabi Alonso after less than eight months in charge. Arbeloa’s stint has been a turbulent and eventful one.
Real lost out to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finals and have been eclipsed by bitter rivals Barcelona in the race for La Liga. There have also been numerous issues to contend with among his playing squad, not least a violent clash between midfielders Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni last week. Earlier this season Mourinho was accused of “gaslighting” Real forward Vinicius Junior by anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out in comments he made following the Champions League play-off clash against Benfica in February, when the Brazilian alleged he had been racially abused by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni.
Mourinho said to Amazon Prime: “There is something wrong because it happens in every stadium. A stadium where Vinicius plays, something happens, always. ” The allegation of racism was found not proven but Prestianni was later banned for six matches – three suspended and one already served – by UEFA after admitting to using homophobic language towards Vinicius.