Real Madrid have appointed Jose Mourinho as their new manager on a three-year contract, turning back to the Portuguese tactician who once delivered them a record-breaking LaLiga triumph.
The move comes after Real endured a poor end to their domestic campaign, with Barcelona clinching the league title with a 2-0 victory in the ‘El Clasico’ last month.
It marked the first time in 94 years that the Spanish league had been decided by a meeting between the fierce rivals.
“Jose Mourinho will join Real Madrid on July 13, the day preseason begins,” Real said in a statement.
The record 15-time UEFA Champions League winners have also failed to clear the quarter-final stage in the last two seasons, prompting club president Florentino Perez to act decisively after two seasons without a major trophy.
Real had sacked Xabi Alonso following a Spanish Super Cup loss to Barcelona in January, before his replacement Alvaro Arbeloa also failed to get the best out of a fractured dressing room that descended into chaos.
The breaking point came when captain Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni engaged in a dressing room fight that resulted in Valverde being taken to hospital with a cut, with both players being fined 500,000 euros ($581,750) each.
But Real Madrid president Perez sees the veteran manager, known for handling dressing room egos, as the ideal candidate to restore discipline and a winning mentality at the Bernabeu.
During his tenure at Real, the fiery Portuguese manager won the Copa del Rey in 2010-2011 and delivered the LaLiga title the following season, with a record-breaking 100-point tally while challenging Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering Barcelona side.
Since leaving Real, Mourinho’s trophy haul has been modest. At Manchester United, he won the League Cup and Europa League, while his recent success came with AS Roma’s third-tier Conference League triumph.
His managerial journey has also included stops at Tottenham Hotspur, Fenerbahce and Benfica.
With a talented squad including world renowned players such as Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham at his disposal, Mourinho might be just the person to ensure there is no third trophyless season for Real.
