Real Madrid will name José Mourinho its next manager next Sunday or Monday, after a two‑year contract is signed. The announcement will follow the club’s final LaLiga fixture against Athletic Club at the Bernabéu on Saturday, a match that ends the 2025‑26 campaign. Mourinho, who guided Madrid from 2010 to 2013, is already bidding farewell to Benfica.

Madrid’s season slipped to a second‑place finish, trailing Barcelona and exiting the Champions League at the quarter‑final stage. Álvaro Arbeloa replaced Xabi Alonso in January, but neither coach lifted the club’s fortunes. Florentino Pérez, who will seek re‑election, praised Mourinho last week for “increasing Madrid’s competitiveness” and building the foundations for future success.

Pérez has already declared his intention to run again and is reportedly preparing a clause that would let a rival candidate, such as businessman Enrique Riquelme, withdraw Mourinho if he wins the upcoming presidential elections. The club’s statutes allow a two‑week campaign if a challenger meets the eligibility criteria, a scenario Pérez is trying to avoid.

With Mourinho’s return, Madrid aims to recapture its trophy‑winning edge lost since 2013. The club’s fans will see a familiar face back at the Bernabéu, while the broader Spanish football landscape adjusts to a renewed rivalry with Barcelona and a stronger challenge in the Champions League.