Can José Mourinho Steady the Ship at Real Madrid Once Again?

Manager Jose Mourinho was with Real Madrid from 2010 to 2013, and now, there’s speculation that the 63-year-old could return to Bernabéu Stadium and recapture some glory.

Right now, Real Madrid is second in La Liga, behind Barcelona, 88 points to 77. Álvaro Arbeloa is the interim manager after Xabi Alonso and the team mutually parted ways following a 3-2 loss to Barcelona in the Supercopa de España final in January.

Real Madrid hasn’t won the La Liga title since the 2023-24 season, and now, with an interim manager, the question arises: Can Mourinho solve Real Madrid’s problems?

The Real Madrid (Mbappe) Problem

It’s important to understand some of the key problems Real Madrid is facing as we examine whether Mourinho can help fix them.

The biggest problem is the club's relationship with Kylian Mbappe. Mbappe is reportedly out injured, but he posted a picture with his girlfriend in Italy.

In response to that, Arbeloa had a lot to say, including the following:

"I like to see when the players understand not only that commitment is important, but that they embody the values ​​of Real Madrid. When we talk about what Real Madrid is and how it was built, I believe we didn't create Real Madrid with players who take to the field in tuxedos, but with players who finish the game with their shirts covered in sweat, mud, effort, sacrifice, and perseverance. That, along with having the best talents, is how we've built Real Madrid's history."

Mourinho has the personality and pedigree that could help restore Mbappe’s faith in the club after the departure of Alonso.

Bringing in someone like Mourinho could help provide stability at the top of the organization, as he’s a proven commodity who’s done it with this club before.

Why a Reunion Could Be Likely

While Mourinho and the club parted ways more than a decade ago, he and Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez remain friends. Mourinho is under contract with Benfica, but his agent, Jorge Mendes, has made it known there’s a release clause.

Also, as mentioned with Mbappe, this job is more than just taking over a team and getting them to play well. There’s a lot of managing personalities and dealing with scrutiny from both inside and outside forces.

Finally, Mourinho had success with Real Madrid, winning a La Liga title, two Copas, and also the Supercopa.

So, would a reunion with Mourinho instantly fix everything? No, but it could be the right move to try to right the ship. Real Madrid has an incredibly talented roster; it just needs someone at the top who can get the ship back on track to beating Barcelona and winning titles.

Are there likely better gameplay managers than Mourinho at this point in time? Maybe, but it would be hard for any player to disrespect Mourinho.

As Nuno Luxz of SIC TV on Spanish radio in Portugal recently said, per ESPN:

"Mourinho's changed a lot. The years have gone by, he's older, calmer," he argued. "But he's got something which seems more important to a big club -- players respect him. He's got so much personality. He's not the war-like Mourinho who arrived at Madrid the first time."