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Jose Mourinho Says He Would 'Have No Problem at All' Returning to Real Madrid
March 4, 2019
Jose Mourinho has hinted he would be open to returning to former clubs Real Madrid or Inter Milan for his next management job.
The Portuguese has been out of work since he left Manchester United in December after overseeing a dismal opening half to the 2018-19 season.
He has since been linked with a return to Real by Ben Hayward in the London Evening Standard. Madrid have recently lost back-to-back matches against Barcelona under Santiago Solari.
Meanwhile, there has also previously been speculation he could replace Luciano Spalletti at Inter.
Talking to beIN Sports, Mourinho said that being re-hired by Chelsea in 2013 was "one of my best feelings in football."
And he said he would not be averse to doing similar with Real or Inter, per beIN Sports' Mitch Freeley:
"To a club that I have been before? If I think the right club, the right structure, the right ambitions, I will have no problem at all. I think it's really a reason of pride when a club where you worked before wanting you back."
Despite their travails this season, Mourinho said Real remain "the iconic club" in world football because of their 13 UEFA Champions League titles, and he hailed their four European triumphs in the last five years as "extraordinary."
Los Blancos are still in with a chance of winning another Champions League this season. They hold a 2-1 lead over Ajax in their last-16 tie and host the Dutch club for the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday.
In truth, though, they have looked a long way from their best this season following the summer departures of manager Zinedine Zidane and star player Cristiano Ronaldo.
They have already lost another manager in 2018-19 after Julen Lopetegui was sacked back in October, and Solari's position looks vulnerable.
Most concerning for Real has been their lack of goals this season, likely a direct result of not having properly replaced Ronaldo:
After Saturday's 1-0 home defeat to Barcelona in La Liga, Real are now 12 points behind their biggest rivals in the Spanish top flight.
It would not be a huge surprise if Mourinho is reappointed at the Bernabeu in the summer, despite his reputation taking a hit after his disappointing tenure at United.
In three seasons with Real, Mourinho led them to three consecutive semi-finals in the Champions League, breaking a run of six last-16 exits in a row.
Most significantly, perhaps, he also broke Barcelona's grip on the La Liga title.
Under Pep Guardiola, Barca won three league titles in a row from the 2008-09 season before Mourinho led Los Blancos to the title in 2011-12, with his team returning a record 121 goals in the campaign.