José Mourinho Confirmed as New Real Madrid Manager

José Mourinho’s blockbuster return as Real Madrid manager has been confirmed.

The 63-year-old, who was in the dugout at the Bernabéu from 2010 until 2013, joins the 15-times European champions from Benfica on a three-year contract.

Mourinho’s appointment comes after a torrid season at Real Madrid, with Xabi Alonso sacked in January amid player unrest. Álvaro Arbeloa came in as interim head coach, but failed to turn around the campaign as Real exited the Champions League to Bayern Munich at the quarter-final stage and Barcelona cantered to the La Liga title. Disharmony within the squad also continued, with Fede Valverde taken to hospital to have stitches after a confrontation with his teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni.

Florentino Pérez, who was re-elected as president last Sunday, made Mourinho his target and will hope the Portuguese can restore order to the dressing room and success on the pitch. Mourinho won La Liga in the 2011-12 season, along with the Copa del Rey in 2010-2011. He achieved phenomenal feats in the early part of his managerial career, winning the Champions League with Porto and Inter and three Premier League titles across two spells at Chelsea.

Mourinho returned to Benfica, where he had started his managerial career, last September and guided them to an unbeaten league season, but that was enough only for third place. He has also had recent spells in charge of Fenerbahce in Turkey and Roma in Italy. Madrid said he would officially start on 13 July, when pre-season training begins.