A return shaped by unfinished business

Jose Mourinho is back at the Bernabeu as Real Madrid manager, more than 13 years after his turbulent first tenure ended. The appointment, announced on June 11, brings one of football’s most confrontational managers back to a club where he won major trophies but left behind deep divisions.

Mourinho’s return follows an eventful reunion with Madrid earlier this year, when he led Benfica against his former club in the Champions League knockout-phase play-offs. He was sent off in the first leg after protesting a refereeing decision, then became embroiled in a controversy involving Gianluca Prestianni and Vinicius Jr.

Mourinho initially defended Prestianni, his Benfica player, after an accusation of racist abuse involving Vinicius Jr. UEFA later issued Prestianni a six-match ban for homophobic conduct rather than racist conduct. In a subsequent Spanish television interview, Mourinho said his position had been straightforward: Prestianni was my player. That’s it, there’s no discussion.

He also sought to reassure Vinicius Jr, saying: Vini knows that now, he knows which side I’m on and he knows that he can look at me and count on me to stand by him. Sources close to Vinicius Jr said the pair had disagreed over the episode but maintained that their relationship remained good after discussions following Mourinho’s reappointment.

The manager who turned conflict into power

Mourinho arrived in Madrid in 2010 after guiding Inter Milan to a European treble. He promised to build a team with its own identity, but his first months were marked by public disputes with journalists, rival coaches and figures inside the club. Madrid director Emilio Butragueno captured the board’s initial view when he said: We didn’t sign Mourinho to make friends, but to win trophies.

A 5-0 defeat to Barcelona in the first Clasico of the 2010-11 season became a turning point. Mourinho used the fallout to strengthen his authority, helping push sporting director Jorge Valdano away from the centre of power and demanding greater influence over recruitment.

The rivalry with Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona soon dominated Spanish football. During a Champions League semi-final in 2011, Mourinho accused UEFA, referees and other institutions of conspiring against Madrid after Pepe was sent off and Lionel Messi scored twice. UEFA fined him and imposed a suspension.

Months later, Mourinho poked Barcelona assistant Tito Vilanova in the eye during a touchline confrontation. He refused to apologise directly, while a statement issued through Madrid said he wished to apologise to the club’s supporters for his conduct.

Trophies, records and broken relationships

For all the controversy, Mourinho’s Madrid produced historic numbers. Cristiano Ronaldo’s decisive goal in the 2012 Camp Nou Clasico effectively secured the league title, and Madrid finished that season with a record 100 points and 121 goals. The team’s competitive edge also helped establish standards that later managers, including Carlo Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane, would build upon.

But Mourinho’s relationships with key players deteriorated. Captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas was dropped after contacting Barcelona captain Xavi in an attempt to ease tensions between the rival camps. Sergio Ramos later became one of the senior players involved in an ultimatum to president Florentino Perez, according to reports: it was described as “him or us.” Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe also became unhappy with their manager.

Mourinho’s final season began badly, with Madrid winning only one of their first four La Liga matches. He declared, At this moment I have no team, after a defeat by Sevilla. The campaign ended with a Champions League semi-final loss to Borussia Dortmund and a Copa del Rey final defeat by Atletico Madrid, in which both Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo were sent off.

A difficult legacy

Although Mourinho still had years remaining on his contract, Perez announced their departure as a joint decision. The president acknowledged Mourinho’s mistakes but credited him with raising the club’s intensity and competitiveness.

Mourinho later said he was among the few Madrid coaches to leave without being dismissed. He also argued that the difficult work had prepared the club for the successes that followed. Former players such as Sami Khedira and Mesut Ozil have similarly suggested that the internal conflict helped the squad understand what was required to win.

Now Mourinho inherits a Madrid team beginning a new La Liga campaign, but he also inherits the memory of the manager who once divided the dressing room, challenged the hierarchy and made every fixture feel like a test of authority. His second act at the Bernabeu has begun with the history still attached.