"The Ultimate Wildcard?!": Jose Mourinho on the verge of returning to Real Madrid after after 13 years

Real Madrid are considering replacing Alvaro Arbeloa this summer with Jose Mourinho. (Image credits – Heute; licence details) 

Real Madrid have been knocked out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals by Bayern Munich and trail arch-rivals FC Barcelona by 11 points in the league with just five games remaining.

The Los Blancos are on the verge of finishing trophyless for the second consecutive season, which has put current manager Alvaro Arbeloa’s future in doubt. The Spanish boss replaced Xabi Alonso after the former Bayer Leverkusen coach resigned from his role despite having a stellar 74% win record at the club.

Arbeloa has managed five games fewer than Alonso in the league but has already lost more games than his fellow compatriot. During Xabi’s time at the club, Real Madrid went five points clear at the top during October and defeated FC Barcelona in the El Clasico.

The Los Blancos also fell to a shocking defeat to second-tier side Albacete in the Copa del Rey knockout stages, which was Arbeloa's first loss in charge of the club. Therefore, the club has reportedly considered replacing the Spaniard with the club's former and legendary boss, Jose Mourinho, who is currently the manager of Benfica in the Portuguese league.

The ‘Special One' was in charge of the Los Blancos from 2010 to 2013, and during his reign the club clinched a historic league title, claiming a hundred points that season; the Copa del Rey; and the Spanish Super Cup. Jose Mourinho has also lifted the Champions League with Porto and Inter Milan, the Europa League with Manchester United and the Conference League with AS Roma. He is the only manager in football who has clinched all three European trophies, and that proves his mettle amongst the best coaches in the world.

As of now Real Madrid do not have a manager ready for next season. Alvaro Arbeloa is unlikely to continue after poor results, and his team has shown no signs of progress ever since he was appointed. Even though insider reports suggest that Florentino Perez appreciates the Spanish coach and has noted down the positives of him at the club, ultimately Madrid is a result-driven club, and if results do not come, Arbeloa will be sent back to pack his bags and leave.

Real Madrid going trophyless for the second consecutive season will hurt Perez, and he will ensure the club wins titles next season. Therefore, we could see a change in the managerial seat this summer.

Real Madrid do not have a set tactical philosophy like FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich or Manchester City. The Los Blancos thrive on managing player profiles, building a super squad and winning trophies. Florentino Perez has never emphasised the club's footballing philosophy or style of play; he has always run the club in a way that they always win. Due to this, the fans have grown quite frustrated, as the club aren't habituated to going trophyless in a season.

When Xabi Alonso arrived, fans thought there would be an implementation of football philosophy. However, despite getting results, Alonso couldn't manage the big-player egos of certain superstars in the squad, and there was a visible lack of chemistry between the two main forwards of the team – Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappé. Madrid's midfield lacked creativity, due to which they were unable to orchestrate and dominate games. Similar problems have been faced by Arbeloa, and the team coordination on the pitch has only worsened.

Appointing Jose Mourinho could be an optimistic solution for Florentino Perez, as Real Madrid have always succeeded with managers who have a strict command inside the dressing room. The likes of Zinedine Zidane, Carlo Ancelotti and Jose have commanded their respective dressing rooms and have managed the superstar egos of their players with utmost perfection.

As per reports, Perez is considering appointing Jose Mourinho, and the Portuguese manager would not rule out a comeback to Real Madrid as well. The Special One is under contract with Benfica until 2027, who could let him leave if the Lisbon giants are not able to win the league. They are still unbeaten in the league but still trail leaders Porto by five points with a few games left this season. 

However, Mourinho isn't the only coach on Real Madrid’s shortlist. France boss Didier Deschamps is also on the list, as his contract will end upon the conclusion of the World Cup and he is set to leave the national team. The French international has done a brilliant job at managing a star-studded French team and could implement the same at Real Madrid.

AC Milan boss Massimiliano Allegri is also another option being considered, as he is also experienced in managing star players with a result-driven approach in his style of football rather than an emphasis on a specific style of play.