Perez pledges Mourinho return in Real Madrid presidential bid
Florentino Perez has promised to reappoint Jose Mourinho if he wins Sunday’s vote, while challenger Enrique Riquelme targets Manchester City stars and proposes Raul as sports director.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has declared he will reappoint Jose Mourinho as manager if he wins the club’s presidential election on Sunday. Perez, who is facing renewable energy entrepreneur Enrique Riquelme in the club’s first contested election in 20 years, released a campaign video featuring Mourinho saying “Yes!” to support his bid for re-election.
The announcement follows a disappointing domestic season where Barcelona secured back-to-back league titles and Real Madrid exited the Champions League at the quarter-final stage for the second consecutive year. Perez released the video message on his social media channels, which featured the slogan “So MOUch history to be made”, referencing the Portuguese coach’s tenure from 2010 to 2013.
Perez’s declaration came while rival candidate Enrique Riquelme appeared on the Spanish television programme El Hormiguero. Riquelme outlined a different strategic direction, stating that if elected, his first signing would be Manchester City midfielder and Spain captain Rodri, with Manchester City striker Erling Haaland also targeted.
Riquelme further proposed appointing former Real Madrid forward Raul as sports director. This contrasts with Perez’s approach, which appears focused on restoring discipline to a squad featuring Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr, and Jude Bellingham, despite Mourinho’s contract with Benfica until June 2027.
Mourinho previously managed Real Madrid from 2010 to 2013, winning one La Liga title, a Copa del Rey, and a Spanish Super Cup. Since leaving Chelsea in 2015, his trophy haul has included the League Cup and Europa League with Manchester United, and the Conference League with AS Roma. He has also managed Tottenham Hotspur, Fenerbahce, and Benfica.
Xabi Alonso was sacked by Real Madrid in January during his first season in charge, with Alvaro Arbeloa serving as interim coach for the remainder of the season. It remains unconfirmed whether Mourinho will agree to return, given his existing contract with Benfica, and the outcome of the presidential election on Sunday remains undecided.
