According to Bleacher report, Real Madrid have opened negotiations with Jose Mourinho over a potential return to the Bernabeu. It has also been revealed that Club president Florentino Perez is set to sack Santiago Solari by Sunday. That’s when Los Blancos will next be in action away to La Liga strugglers Real Valladolid, and AS reported Solari is close to being sacked while negotiations are under way with Mourinho’s agent, Jorge Mendes.
Real have no title prospects for the remainder of this season following a 4-1 decimation at the hands of Ajax on Tuesday, knocking them out of the UEFA Champions League last 16 in sensational fashion. They also recently suffered back-to-back Clasico losses against rivals Barcelona, the first of which knocked them out of the Copa del Rey semi-finals, while the other left them 12 points adrift of top spot in La Liga. Solari’s time at the club now looks close to being over after Los Blancos suffered four defeats in their last five games, and an ESPN FC panel discussed the increasing likelihood of a Mourinho reunion at Real:
The Portuguese—who has been without a managerial job since he was fired by Manchester United in December—was at the helm of the Santiago Bernabeu from 2010 until 2013. Mourinho won the Copa del Rey in 2010, La Liga in 2011 and a Spanish Super Cup in 2012. Real failed to win a trophy under him in his final year at the club, and he left while calling the 2012-13 campaign “the worst season of my career.”
Sid Lowe of the Guardian recounted the Spanish media reaction to Real’s dismantling versus Ajax, a defeat Marca described as their “worst night on record.” Former Real president Ramon Calderon told ESPN he personally doesn’t want Mourinho to return to the club, although he thinks that is what will ultimately happen between now and August. “Absolutely not,” he said when asked if he wanted Mourinho back at the club. “I’ve already mentioned the amount of damage he caused here. “His style of play is not what the Bernabeu wants. What the fans want is what we’ve just seen from Ajax; bravery, aggression with a lot of speed and boldness. Mourinho doesn’t do this.
“I believe that he will be here next year as he’s the only manager who the president respects and it’s because he puts the dressing room in order and he demands the players to work hard.” Chelsea are the only other team Mourinho has managed twice during his career, and the fact he’s a free agent will appeal to Real in regards to saving resources. Goal looked at how Mourinho’s name has been discussed around the Bernabeu of late, including comments from the tactician that he would have “no problem at all” rejoining an old club in the right circumstances.
Zinedine Zidane, who left the club last May, is reportedly the favourite to replace Solari should he depart, but it seems unlikely he would come back to inherit a squad that’s substantially worse off than when he left.
Instead, it seems more likely Mourinho will be the former manager who completes a return and could look to rebuild his career after being sacked by United, Chelsea and Real in his last three management jobs.