Real Madrid have confirmed the appointment of José Mourinho for a second spell as the club’s coach after ratifying the departure of Álvaro Arbeloa.
The Spanish club confirmed in a statement Thursday that Mourinho has signed a three-year contract at the Bernabéu.
Mourinho, 63, returns to the Spanish club after a season in charge of Benfica, who confirmed Wednesday that Madrid were willing to pay the €15 million compensation to release him from his contract in Portugal.
Madrid president Florentino Pérez had made bringing back Mourinho, who left the club in 2013, one of his reelection promises ahead of his victory in last weekend’s vote of club members.
Pérez also pledged the signings of Ibrahima Konaté and Denzel Dumfries, as well as vowing to make a €150 million bid for a ‘galáctico‘ signing.
To honor that vow, Madrid announced earlier this week they had offered €150m for Atlético Madrid striker Julián Álvarez, which was subsequently knocked back.
Mourinho returns to Madrid with the task of getting the team back on track after back-to-back trophyless seasons under first Carlo Ancelotti and then Xabi Alonso and Arbeloa.
The Portuguese coach was last in charge of Madrid between 2010 and 2013, winning one LaLiga title, a Copa del Rey and a Supercopa de España. He also reached three Champions League semifinals.
Since he was last at the Bernabéu he has coached Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Roma, Fenerbahçe and Benfica.
– How many trophies did José Mourinho win at Real Madrid, and how many has he won since?
– Real Madrid Keep or Dump: With Mourinho in charge, who stays put?
– Can Mourinho win again at Real Madrid after 13 years away?
It has been four years since he last won a trophy — the Conference League with Roma — and over a decade since his last league title, the Premier League with Chelsea in 2015.
At Benfica, he went unbeaten in the Portuguese league last season, although that only equated to a third-place finish behind Porto and Sporting.
Mourinho’s Benfica side were also eliminated by Madrid in the Champions League knockout phase playoffs.
