Mourinho Agrees Shock Real Madrid Return

José Mourinho has agreed to return to Real Madrid as head coach, according to reports published on May 18 by ESPN and Sky Sports. The reported agreement would send Mourinho back to the Santiago Bernabéu 13 years after the end of his first spell in charge from 2010 to 2013. Real Madrid had not announced the appointment on Tuesday, and Benfica had not published a statement confirming Mourinho’s departure. ESPN reported the deal as a two-year contract, while Sky Sports said Madrid had agreed to bring him back after a season in which Benfica finished third in Portugal. ### What exactly has been agreed, and has either club confirmed it? ESPN reported on May 18 that Mourinho agreed to a two-year contract to return to Real Madrid. The report, by Bruno Andrade and Alex Kirkland, said Mourinho had already said his goodbyes at Benfica and that Madrid would pay Benfica to release him from his current deal. (espnsyracuse.com) Sky Sports also reported on May 18 that Mourinho had agreed to return on a two-year deal. As of Tuesday, Real Madrid’s official website did not show an announcement naming Mourinho as head coach, and Benfica’s official site still carried Mourinho’s pre-match and post-match comments from this month. (espnsyracuse.com) ### Why is Benfica part of this story? Benfica announced in September 2025 that Mourinho had signed a contract through the end of the 2026-27 season. That means any exit before then would require either a negotiated release or payment under the terms of his deal. Bleacher Report, citing ESPN’s reporting, said Real Madrid would pay Benfica €7 million to buy Mourinho out of his contract. (skysports.com) That figure has not been confirmed by either club in an official statement. ### How long has Mourinho been away from Madrid, and what did he do there the first time? (slbenfica.pt) Mourinho last coached Real Madrid in 2013, making this a 13-year gap between spells if the move is completed. Real Madrid’s official statement in March marking the death of former goalkeeping coach Silvino Louro said Louro was part of Mourinho’s staff for three seasons and listed the honors won in that period as one La Liga title, one Copa del Rey and one Spanish Super Cup. (bleacherreport.com) USA Today and other outlets described the move as a return to the Bernabéu after 13 years away. Those reports matched the timeline from Mourinho’s first tenure in Madrid. ### What was Mourinho doing before these reports surfaced? Benfica’s official website published Mourinho’s comments as recently as May 15, when he previewed the club’s final Liga Betclic match against Estoril. (realmadrid.com) Benfica also carried his remarks after a 2-2 draw with Braga on May 11. (usatoday.com) Sky Sports reported that Benfica finished third in the Portuguese league after an unbeaten campaign. ESPN’s report said Mourinho had already begun saying goodbye at the Lisbon club before the expected move to Madrid. ### What is happening at Real Madrid right now? (slbenfica.pt) La Liga’s official schedule page shows Real Madrid in second place on 83 points after 37 matches, behind Barcelona on 94 points. The league lists Madrid’s final 2025-26 match as a home game against Athletic Club on May 23. Real Madrid’s official website also lists the Athletic Club match at the Bernabéu on Saturday, May 23. (skysports.com) Florentino Pérez said on May 12 that the club would call elections, according to remarks published by Madrid on its official site, underscoring that the club is entering an active administrative period as well as a coaching transition. ### What should readers watch for next? May 23 is Real Madrid’s final La Liga fixture of the season, and any formal coaching announcement would be expected from Real Madrid or Benfica after that. (laliga.com) Benfica’s website still lists Mourinho under first-team football coverage, while Madrid’s official site remains the primary source for any appointment notice. (realmadrid.com)