Jose Mourinho to Real Madrid? Why Portuguese manager could be the ultimate wildcard
Real has no coach for next season.
Arbeloa has a year left on his contract but it is clear that chairman Perez is looking for a new boss elsewhere.
While Perez appreciates the positive aspects of Arbeloa’s tenure, results determine decisions at the Bernabeu.
But to understand who they will hire, you first need to understand how Perez thinks.
He doesn’t care about Perez’s style of play. He doesn’t lose sleep over his tactical identity or his team’s pressure or deep sitting. What he cares about is winning, and more importantly, managing.
Managing egos, stars and the locker room.
According to Perez, the ideal manager is an orchestra conductor.
There is a recurring tension at the Bernabeu between two schools of thought. On one side, the club’s number two, Jose Angel Sanchez, argues that Real need an organizer who is a tactically rigorous coach who can bring order to a talented but chaotic squad.
This way of thinking led to appointments such as Rafa Benitez, Julen Lopetegui and most recently Alonso. None lasted more than a few months. The president never had their back, and when the results excused him, they left.
On the other side is Perez’s own choice: the great manager, the aristocrat of the touchline, someone whose presence in the dressing room alone commands respect. Think Zinedine Zidane. Think twice about Carlo Ancelotti. This is the pattern Perez returns to when his patience runs out.
With Alonso’s departure, the president’s line won again. And the names considered reflect exactly this.
Now let’s come to the name making headlines: Jose Mourinho.
People inside the club suggest he is not the only name on the list. Mourinho’s choice is driven mainly by Perez himself and the Portuguese coach.
Perez likes to throw out his ideas and see what reaction he gets.
Mourinho has a contract with Benfica until 2027 but he can get out of that contract and, no matter what he says publicly, my understanding is that he is desperate to return to the Bernabeu.
His behavior during the Gianluca Prestianni incident in the Benfica-Real Madrid Champions League match did not lose fans at the Bernabeu, including the president.
This is the biggest wild card; A president who has reached a familiar name, a figure who can dominate the dressing room, a manager whose second spell at Madrid will already be a statement.
But sources within the camp say this can only happen if other options fail.
