“I’m staying away from it,” Jose Mourinho opens up about talks to become Real Madrid manager.
Jose Mourinho has made it clear that he hasn’t had any contact about possibly coming back to Real Madrid this summer.
The Spanish club is looking for a new head coach after losing their chance to win La Liga following a 2-0 defeat to their big rivals Barcelona on Sunday night. Marcus Rashford and Ferran Torres scored early, helping Barcelona secure the league title with a win in El Clásico.
It’s been a tough season for Real Madrid, who even fired their manager Xabi Alonso and ended the year without any trophies. The team has also faced trouble off the field, with tensions in the dressing room leading to big fines for Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde after a clash that sent Valverde to the hospital.
Real Madrid knows they need to pick the right coach to catch up with Barcelona, and Mourinho’s name has been mentioned a lot as a possible candidate. But the 63-year-old, who currently manages Benfica in Portugal, says he’s focused on finishing the season strong. Benfica is in second place in the league, tied on points with Sporting, after rivals Porto won the title.
Mourinho has been asked many times about the Real Madrid job, but he insists his mind is on Benfica right now. His contract runs until June 2027, with an option to leave within 10 days after the season if a €3 million release clause is paid. That means there might be a chance for him to return to Madrid, and he says he’ll think about it after the season ends.
At his latest press conference, he said, “People keep talking about Real Madrid, but I’m staying away from that. Honestly, I haven’t spoken to anyone there – no president, no big figures. I’ve chosen not to, just like I’ve done before in similar situations, especially at the end of a season. I won’t have any contact before our last game against Estoril. After that, there’s a one-week window when I can talk to whoever I want. Until then, all the stories about demands and meetings are just guesses.”