Mourinho Begins Second Real Madrid Spell with Barcelona in His Sights

Posted : 20 August 2026

José Mourinho will officially begin his second spell as Real Madrid coach when his side face Espanyol in their opening LaLiga match on Saturday, with Barcelona once again representing the ultimate target. The fixture will take place at the RCDE Stadium on August 22.

The Portuguese manager returns to Madrid more than a decade after his first stint, which lasted from 2010 to 2013. His mission remains familiar: restore Real Madrid to the top of Spanish football after two seasons without a major trophy and challenge Barcelona's recent domestic dominance.

Mourinho has inherited a squad packed with attacking talent, including Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior. Previous coaches struggled to find a system that allowed Madrid's leading forwards to operate together without leaving the team vulnerable defensively. Mourinho's reputation for discipline and tactical organisation could be crucial in solving that problem.

The 63-year-old has also insisted that he is returning as a more experienced coach. His years working in England, Italy, Turkey and elsewhere have changed his approach, with Mourinho describing himself as more mature, less emotional and better able to control his reactions.

From his return to the Valdebebas training ground, Mourinho has stressed the importance of creating a strong working culture based on responsibility and ambition. He has described the assignment as a mission, underlining the expectations surrounding his comeback.

Real Madrid have also backed their new manager in the transfer market. The club invested heavily during the summer, bringing in players including Yan Diomandé, Marc Cucurella, Bernardo Silva, Ibrahima Konaté and Denzel Dumfries. The spending has been part of a broader rebuild following a trophyless period.

Bernardo Silva could prove particularly important to Mourinho's plans. Madrid have been searching for a way to replace the control and creativity once provided by Toni Kroos and Luka Modrić, and Silva offers another technically gifted option in midfield.

Madrid also pursued Spain midfielder Rodri but ultimately missed out, with the player joining Barcelona. Mourinho recently explained that the deal collapsed after Rodri hesitated over the move, while insisting he remains confident in the squad available to him.

Mourinho's first Madrid tenure was defined by his fierce rivalry with Pep Guardiola and a dominant Barcelona team. His side eventually ended Barcelona's grip on LaLiga by winning the 2011-12 title with a record 100 points, adding another memorable chapter to one of Spanish football's fiercest rivalries.

The next Clasico is scheduled for later in the autumn, giving Mourinho roughly two months to establish his tactical identity and ensure his star players are working toward the same objective. But the first test comes against Espanyol, where his second Madrid era will officially get underway.

Mourinho Begins Second Real Madrid Spell with Barcelona in His Sights

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