An iron fist joining a broken team: Inside Mourinho's Real return
Madrid's dressing room is fractured. There have been fights between players. Vinicius Jr got what he wanted when Xabi Alonso was sacked as manager.
Kylian Mbappe is not loved and seems a strange body in the club. Then add to that the squad finished a second consecutive season without a major trophy. Into this chaos walks a man with an iron fist, a famous surname and zero tolerance for insubordination.
For a president who cannot control his own stars, the appeal of Mourinho is obvious. But appetite is not the same as wisdom. And before Madrid celebrates the return of the 'Special One', it is worth asking a harder question: will he make the same mistakes again?
The numbers are not kind. Mourinho has not won a league title in 11 years. He has been sacked - or effectively pushed out - in five of his last six jobs.
At Tottenham, the Amazon documentary All or Nothing captured something instructive. Training sessions were described as tedious. Players disengaged.