Real Madrid reappoint Jose Mourinho to end two-year trophy drought
Jose Mourinho has returned to Real Madrid as manager 13 years after his initial departure, tasked with ending a two-season trophy drought at the Bernabeu.
The 63-year-old Portuguese tactician arrives back in the Spanish capital with a mandate from club president Florentino Perez to restore former glories.
His surprise appointment raises questions over whether the self-proclaimed ‘Special One’ can still recapture the elite success of his earlier career.
Since leaving Los Blancos in 2013, the two-time Champions League winner has claimed just one league title, coming during his second stint at Chelsea in 2015.
Subsequent spells at Manchester United, Tottenham, Roma, Fenerbahce and Benfica have yielded mixed results in cup competitions alongside considerable turbulence.
Replicating the Ancelotti blueprint
Spanish football expert Eduardo Alvarez believes Perez has taken inspiration from Carlo Ancelotti’s phenomenally successful second spell in charge.
“I think he’s betting on a second stint with Mourinho because Ancelotti was successful during his and it’s a very similar case,” Alvarez told BBC Sport.
Alvarez noted that Ancelotti was coaching Everton and largely considered past his peak before returning to Madrid to win the Champions League.
The pundit explained that the Spanish giants currently operate more as a player’s club than a manager’s club.
He added that the returning boss is highly player-intense rather than strictly tactically intense, which perfectly suits the immediate needs of the boardroom.
A necessary shift in attitude
Not everyone expects a seamless transition for the veteran coach without a fundamental shift in his famously combative approach.
Former Real president Ramon Calderon, who led the institution from 2006 to 2009, warned that the new manager cannot simply recreate the fiery playbook of his first spell.
“He’s going to need to change the behaviour and the attitude of the players,” Calderon told BBC Sport.
“He showed, when he was at Real 13 years ago, a lot of protagonism.”
Calderon highlighted previous problems with rival clubs and referees, urging the former Inter Milan boss to take responsibility rather than blaming others for defeats.
“I think he has to gain the respect and trust of the players by persuasion, not by imposition,” he concluded.
During his first tenure, which followed a historic Treble with Inter in 2009, the manager successfully dethroned a dominant Barcelona side to win La Liga alongside the Copa del Rey.
Fans will now wait eagerly to see if his second act can deliver similar silverware to the Bernabeu trophy cabinet.