Back at the Bernabéu: Is…

While I may be in the minority, I believe that Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez has not entirely ruled out the possibility of José Mourinho taking over the management of the La Liga club next season. This consideration would gain momentum if Mourinho’s Benfica manages to overcome their 1-0 first-leg deficit at the Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday and eliminate Álvaro Arbeloa’s inconsistent squad from the UEFA Champions League.

Although Mourinho is prohibited from coaching Benfica from the sidelines upon his return to the stadium where he previously managed for three years, this is his first chance to prepare for a crucial, competitive match at the Bernabéu since losing the Copa del Rey final to Atlético Madrid while at the helm of Los Blancos in May 2013.

Before considering how Benfica can address their poor away record in the Champions League this season (with four matches: one win, three losses, and a -4 goal difference) and how they will cope without Gianluca Prestianni—who has been provisionally suspended by UEFA due to allegations of racist language directed at Vinícius Júnior in the first leg—we need to assess the relationship between Madrid’s president and his former star manager.

– Marcotti’s Musings: Real Madrid are off the rails (again)
– UCL talking points: Can Arbeloa lead Madrid to UCL glory?
– Madrid keeper Courtois buys stake in ‘French Wrexham’

We should start with the 78-year-old billionaire Pérez, as there are clear parallels between his earlier recruitment of Mourinho from Inter Milan in 2010 and the present.

Pérez is undoubtedly passionate about seeing his club triumph and has a knack for creating commercial success. However, he understandably becomes frustrated when the footballing world takes a particular interest in Barcelona.

This sentiment mirrors that of Sir Alex Ferguson. When he transitioned from Aberdeen to Manchester United in the 1980s, he framed his mission not purely around constructing an Old Trafford dynasty but as one of “knocking Liverpool off their f—ing perch.”

Pérez has always had the foresight to understand that if he can effectively divert attention away from Barcelona, then winning La Liga becomes significantly less difficult. Atlético Madrid occasionally clinches titles, but no other team outside the dominance of Madrid and Barça has contended since Valencia two decades ago.

Occasionally, the first step to achieving victory lies not in boosting your own squad’s performance but in undermining that of your biggest rivals. Mourinho was Pérez’s “scorched earth” manager during his previous tenure, and he could play that role again.

While he didn’t immediately create a trophy-laden influx (despite winning the Copa del Rey, La Liga, and the Spanish Supercopa during his time), his arrival undeniably drained Pep Guardiola, polarized much of the Spanish sports media, and gave Madrid a more aggressive identity. This set the groundwork for the subsequent flurry of European trophies under the more tactically gifted Carlo Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane.

One of the notable witnesses to this dynamic is Aitor Karanka, a Champions League-winning defender with Madrid in 2000 and 2002. Currently serving as the Spanish FA’s director of football, he was Mourinho’s assistant during that era. Just a month ago, he was featured on the Spanish football podcast “Cafelito“, where he was queried about Mourinho’s ambitions to reclaim the Real Madrid position.

Karanka struggled to maintain a serious demeanor, bursting into laughter before responding: “What do you want me to say?” He then elaborated without prompting: “I think he has had opportunities in the past to return to Madrid, but circumstances in football haven’t aligned.” When pressed whether an opportunity was close, he remarked, “From what I’ve gathered, yes… but I can’t recall the exact timing.”

When asked why a return didn’t materialize, Karanka responded: “Football has its timing… perhaps it was midseason, or José was engaged with another project… but nobody should be taken aback by the relationship between José and the president.”

Now turning to Mourinho, I wouldn’t be astonished if during their training, NASA astronauts were told that among the visible objects from space, besides the Great Barrier Reef, the Grand Canyon, and the Great Wall of China, they might also notice Mourinho’s ego.

This statement shouldn’t come across as derogatory: The 63-year-old emits confidence, charisma, bravado, and an inviting “follow me” attitude that has sometimes resonated well with talented, coachable players, enthusiastic fans, and the insatiable global media. Every top athlete possesses a robust ego.

I would wager every penny I own that he perceives “opportunity” resonating from the Santiago Bernabéu—not just this week, but also in relation to displacing Arbeloa.

Sure, Benfica is a renowned name in European football. Yes, there’s potential for the Portugal national team role to come his way after the World Cup. While all of this is appealing, he departed Madrid feeling unfulfilled: securing only two major trophies, never clinching the Champions League, psychologically drained from the rivalry he purposefully ignited with Guardiola (among others), and ultimately having to watch Ancelotti and Zidane guide a largely identical squad to four Champions League trophies in just five years.

What ambitious, competitive, and notoriety-seeking individual wouldn’t crave another chance to amend that?

play

Kompany criticizes Mourinho for ‘significant error’ regarding Vinícius Júnior comments

Vincent Kompany discusses José Mourinho’s remarks surrounding Vinícius Júnior amid allegations of racist abuse against him during the match with Benfica.

Now, could Mourinho’s behaviors during the past two Benfica-Madrid encounters this year be a factor diminishing his reputation in Pérez’s eyes? I don’t think so.

In January’s 4-2 victory during the league stage that propelled Benfica into the playoffs, Mourinho decisively outcoached his former player and protégé Arbeloa. That was a point in José’s favor. However, his comments following Vinícius Júnior’s reports to the referee concerning alleged racial abuse in the first leg only heightened the controversy surrounding that incident, despite his attempts to clarify his stance.

My hunch is that Pérez, at his core, recognizes the combative spirit that initially attracted him to Mourinho. Yet, there are drawbacks to this temperament—Mourinho is currently sidelined for this week’s rematch after, by his own admission, accusing the first-leg referee, François Letexier, of refusing to book Madrid players who were close to suspension. This behavior mirrors previous instances, such as his suspension during the Champions League semifinal first-leg home defeat against Barcelona in 2011 and his dismissal during his last significant match with Madrid—the 2-1 loss to Atlético in the Copa del Rey final.

True to form, Mourinho chose to forgo his final few press conferences in the lead-up to his departure from Madrid in 2013. This led to Arbeloa, in the mixed zone, not only defending his departing manager but also delivering a kind of farewell tribute.

“Mourinho has always prioritized Real Madrid over everything else; his dedication to the club often overshadowed his personal image,” Arbeloa stated at the time. “I’m not sure anyone in this club, including the players, has that same level of commitment.”

“I can say for myself that I look out for my interests first. I want to be successful before the club does. Many are like that; we worry about maintaining a favorable image in the media and acting in our own best interest. This club is exceedingly complex—especially in tough times, which make things particularly challenging.”

“It’s been a turbulent season, especially toward the end, and there are individuals who’ve disagreed with some of the manager’s choices.”

Ironically, nearly 14 years later, Arbeloa’s reflections apply considerably to the prevailing situation. His influence has generally been beneficial, often highlighted by an impressive performance in Lisbon. Still, Madrid faces uncertainties, hampered by critical absences and whether Kylian Mbappé can overcome knee issues, not to mention a recent decline in form to advance to the round of 16.

A 2-1 loss against Osasuna over the weekend has further fueled Pérez’s lingering doubts about Arbeloa’s ability to be the club’s main leader. A defeat to Benfica would not only amplify those concerns but also strengthen Mourinho’s candidacy.

This week, despite being banned and without Prestianni, Mourinho enters as a slight underdog. How will the Santiago Bernabéu treat him in his absence? Will they welcome him with warm applause and chanting, or will he face haughty dismissals and cold silence?

Thus, while he may be an underdog this week in competitive terms, it doesn’t eliminate the possibility that, come summer, Mourinho could emerge as the front-runner for the leading role at the world’s most prominent and successful club. This match serves not just as a gateway to the Champions League knockout phase; it is a referendum on how Madridistas view their former hero and a critical test for the incumbent, Arbeloa.