Real Madrid post-Mourinho: A decade of Champions League glory and a return to the Portuguese manager

Thirteen years after his departure, José Mourinho is set to return to Real Madrid, a club that has since amassed six Champions League titles. This period saw the rise of Carlo Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane, managers who brought continental success through a different approach characterized by calm and stability.

Mourinho's initial tenure at Real Madrid is credited with raising the team's competitive level, laying the groundwork for subsequent Champions League success. Despite reaching semi-finals and challenging for titles, his era ended with high-tension matches and eventual departures. The club then pivoted towards managers like Ancelotti, who ended a 12-year Champions League drought, and Zidane, who achieved an unprecedented three consecutive European titles.

Following Zidane's departures and a period of managerial instability, Real Madrid returned to Ancelotti, whose two Champions League titles in three years validated the club's preference for his management style. However, the recent season saw further disruption with short-lived projects under Xabi Alonso and Álvaro Arbeloa, ending the relative peace that had characterized the club under Zidane and Ancelotti.

Mourinho's new challenge involves managing player egos within a squad that has experienced significant internal friction. Additionally, he must contend with external pressures, including the ongoing "Negreira case," which has dominated headlines and led club president Florentino Pérez to publicly claim the team was robbed of seven league titles. Mourinho's past willingness to address such controversies suggests he is prepared for these battles.