Mourinho insists trust is key after Real Madrid return

Jose Mourinho has returned to the Bernabeu after a 13-year absence and says the relationship between manager and player must be built on mutual trust if Real Madrid are to get back to the top.

Mourinho has made a solid start in his second spell, losing just two of his eight matches in charge (W6). Despite that, Madrid sit six points behind runaway leaders Barcelona, who have a 100% record so far, and went into the break on the back of a controversial 2-1 loss to derby rivals Atletico Madrid.

The Portuguese is tasked with bringing silverware back to Los Blancos after they failed to win a single trophy last season and also struggled domestically in 2024-25.

"Don't betray me, and I'll always be there for you"

Speaking on the Bet It Drives Show when asked about trust and management, Mourinho laid out his core principles:

"Don't betray me," Mourinho said. "When I say don't betray me, of course, I'm speaking about football. Don't betray me, and I'll always be there for you."

He stressed discipline alongside freedom:

"There are rules that are not negotiable. If you report at 9 a.m., it's 9 a.m. for everybody. If you arrive at 9.15, even if you're a superstar, you just can't. I don't accept it. But another thing is giving them freedom to express themselves."

Why Madrid called again

Mourinho replaced Alvaro Arbeloa, who left his post at the end of 2025-26 after taking over from Xabi Alonso. Alonso had started last season at the helm but was sacked in January.

Mourinho explained the club's approach in bringing him back:

"After two seasons where the biggest club in the world didn't have the best results and a little 'divorce' with the fans, the club contacted me. They told me 'We know you. You know us. You know the club, you know the culture. We need you. We need you to rebuild. We need you to start again an amazing decade that the club had. We need a person with your profile'."

During his first spell between 2010 and 2013, Mourinho won one LaLiga title, a Copa del Rey and the Supercopa de Espana, and now hopes to restore Madrid's dominance in the face of Barcelona's current runaway lead.