Reports: Jose Mourinho could return to manage Real Madrid
What’s the story?
It hasn’t even been one year since Jose Mourinho joined Manchester United but the Portuguese manager is already being linked with a move away from Old Trafford. Don Balon claim that the 54-year-old will be reuniting with his former club, Real Madrid, if the current manager, Zinedine Zidane decides to leave the European champions to manage the French national team.
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The France national team is being currently managed by Didier Deschamps who failed to guide his team to European glory after making it all the way to the finals of the tournament. Mourinho spent three seasons with the Galacticos before joining Chelsea in 2013.
In case you didn’t know...
Mourinho’s successful spells at FC Porto, Chelsea, and his treble winning season with Inter Milan was enough reason to convince Real Madrid president Florentino Perez to offer the Portuguese manager a four-year contract at the Santiago Bernabeu in 2010.
In his first season with the club, Mourinho managed to guide Real Madrid to cup glory and won the Copa del Rey that season. In the 2011-12 season, Real Madrid were crowned La Liga champions under Mourinho after a drought of two seasons.
But following Madrid’s semi-final exit from the Champions League in the following season, the current Manchester United manager departed the club on mutual consent. In his three seasons with the Los Blancos, Mourinho won three titles – Copa del Rey, La Liga and Supercopa de Espana.
The heart of the matter
Jose Mourinho is currently on a three-year contract with Manchester United. The Red Devils are 6th in the Premier League table with 48 points and still alive in three cup competitions – Europa League, FA Cup, and EFL Cup.
Zinedine Zidane has had a successful spell at Real Madrid, winning the Champions League in his first season in charge of the club.
Also Read: 7 greatest Real Madrid managers of all time
With a year and a half left on his contract with the Los Blancos, and his interest to coach the French national team, Real Madrid could be looking at Jose Mourinho as a replacement in case the Frenchman chooses not to extend his contract with the club.
Parallels from history
Real Madrid have previously brought back former managers for a second and even a third spell. Former Spain manager Vicente del Bosque had three spells with the Spanish giants, while Italian manager Fabio Capello had two spells, with his second spell coming in 2006.
Sportskeeda’s Take
The former Real Madrid legend is having a splendid time in Spain with his side firmly at the top of the La Liga table with two games in hand. And following a successful first season as manager of Real Madrid, the possibility of Zidane leaving the Bernabeu looks bleak at the moment. His Champions League success with the club last year is a testament to what he can achieve in the future.
If he does leave Madrid, bringing in Mourinho may not be the best idea as the current Manchester United reportedly fell out with the senior players in the Madrid team.