Goodbye Benfica, hello Real Madrid: José Mourinho takes final step toward Bernabéu return

Everything is falling into place.

Florentino Pérez has won the presidential election. Mourinho is set to return to Madrid. The deal has already been reported to Portugal’s Securities Market Commission (CMVM), a mandatory step because Benfica is a publicly traded club. And now comes the farewell letter.

In a brief statement shared on his social media accounts, Mourinho appears to have officially closed the chapter on his time in Lisbon.

“Representing this club was an honor and a privilege,” he wrote.

The message leaves little room for doubt. An announcement confirming his return to Real Madrid now appears imminent.

Mourinho’s farewell statement

“I would like to thank President Rui Costa for the opportunity he gave me to work in service of Benfica. Representing this club was an honor and a privilege.

“I also want to express my appreciation to all Benfica professionals, whose professionalism, dedication and competence have been exemplary.

“To the players I had the pleasure of working with, my sincere gratitude and my best wishes for continued personal and professional growth. I leave with the conviction that, on more than one occasion, we built lasting relationships: a better player one day, a better player forever.”

When will Real Madrid announce Mourinho as their new coach?

That is the question everyone is asking.

The deal is done, and by all accounts it has been done for some time. The only remaining step is the official announcement from Real Madrid.

The expectation is that it could arrive later today, although no specific time has been communicated. The statement could be released at any moment.

A formal presentation is most likely to follow tomorrow, though club officials have yet to confirm those plans publicly.

One way or another, Mourinho is set to become Real Madrid’s head coach once again. Thirteen years after the end of his first spell at the club, he is preparing for a return to the Santiago Bernabéu.

And now, after saying goodbye to Benfica, there is virtually nothing left standing in the way.

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