taxes Mourinho (63) put the brakes on talk of returning to Real Madrid himself. It is hard to say he has completely closed the door to heading to Spain. Still, at least for now his sights are on Lisbon rather than Madrid.
US broadcaster "Fox Sports" reported on the 1st (KST) that "Mourinho addressed the speculation about returning to Real Madrid." In a recent interview he said, "My next goal is to bring Benfica back to the Champions League."
It is a simple but weighty statement. Recently Mourinho has been at the center of speculation about a Real return. As Real wavered under Álvaro Arbeloa's regime, there was growing speculation that president Florentino Pérez might again pull out a past success card. Mourinho led Real from 2010 to 2013 and was the figure who confronted Pep Guardiola's Barcelona head-on.
The situation is also delicate. Mourinho is currently under contract with Benfica, but it is reported he has a relatively low buyout clause effective after the season. From Real's perspective, he is not an unattainable option. So the rumors grew. The very phrase "Mourinho 2.0" heated up Madrid.
But the man himself drew a line for now. Instead of fanning stories about Real, Mourinho emphasized the Benfica project. Saying he would return Benfica to the Champions League is not mere lip service. It is closer to a message that he has no intention of leaving now.
Of course outside assessments are mixed. Real alumnus Guti commented on the Mourinho comeback rumors that "he is far from his prime." It is true that Mourinho left a strong mark on Real in the past, but whether he is the answer Real needs now is another question.
Mourinho also looked back at his past and mentioned an unexpected team. Not Real, not Chelsea, not Inter Milan, but AS Roma. He described his time in Rome as the most special experience of his career. He strongly remembered the atmosphere of the Stadio Olimpico and the support of the fans.
Real's candidate pool keeps expanding. Names mentioned include not only Mourinho but Lionel Scaloni, Mauricio Pochettino and Sebastián Hoeness. However, it is hard to say Pérez has completely ruled out Mourinho. Real is a club that has returned to familiar names in times of crisis.
In the end there is one core point. Real looks to Mourinho. But Mourinho talks about Benfica. The comeback rumors have not cooled, but at least for now the "special one" has his clock set not for Santiago Bernabéu but for Estádio da Luz.
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