Mourinho, more motivated than ever to return to Madrid
His motivation to accept Real Madrid has grown. He knows, or has been led to believe, that it's time to help rebuild the team's sporting reputation.
José Mourinho has become a privileged observer of the storm unleashed by the Real Madrid board’s announcement of elections. For now, at least until Sunday, his focus remains on Benfica. His immediate battle is securing what would be a miraculous qualification for next season’s Champions League. That, however, does not mean he is ignoring the developments in Madrid surrounding his former club, which in a matter of days could become his once again.
His motivation to accept the Real Madrid job has grown stronger. He knows, or has been led to believe, that the time has come to help rebuild the team’s stature, and his desire to lead that revival has intensified. In fact, Mourinho himself has already announced that his decision will be revealed next week, just days before the deadline to trigger the buyout clause in his contract with Benfica.
While the drama unfolding in Madrid has Florentino Pérez as its central figure, the current president continues to push for a renegotiation of the contract tying Mourinho to the Lisbon club. Rui Costa understands the significance of Mourinho’s presence on the Benfica bench and is determined to secure the manager with a new deal, although his efforts have so far failed to produce the desired response.
Mourinho is pleased with everything that is happening. He is back in the spotlight, and the fact that Florentino Pérez has once again considered him has made him realise that the possibility of one final, unexpected dance has emerged on the horizon. His departure from Real Madrid did not unfold as he had hoped, and he knows his time at the club ended prematurely.
Florentino Pérez will continue to serve as acting president while the electoral process, which begins on Thursday, is underway. The board will still be able to make decisions, although it is reasonable to assume that major strategic moves will be postponed until the process is complete. Even so, the club’s statutes allow everything to remain unchanged during the endorsement period and until a new board is officially appointed.
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