​Following a highly turbulent season, Real Madrid has decided to embark on a new project with one of Europe’s most experienced managers, Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese coach was appointed the club’s new manager on June 11 and has since been laying the groundwork to begin this fresh chapter of his career. Notably, Mourinho has been steering his preparations remotely, leveraging modern technology to assemble his staff and blueprint the plans for the upcoming preseason. The preseason is scheduled to commence on July 13.
A few days ahead of the start of training, Diario AS reported that Mourinho returned to Valdebebas, his first visit since 2010, on Friday. In this initial appearance of his second stint in charge of Real Madrid, he visited the club facilities and, for the first time, greeted the staff who will accompany him going forward in person. During this encounter, the new manager shared his core objectives for this chapter of his career.
“Words aren’t enough… because this is like a mission. It’s not about worrying about myself or whether I’ll win more or less. I’m here to help everyone become better—players, staff— to create a culture of hard work, responsibility, ambition, and something I know very well: the responsibility and the honor of working for Real Madrid. I really like that concept,” he stated. “It’s not about working at Real Madrid; it’s about working for Real Madrid. And it’s with that sense of mission that I’m here.”
Although this marked his first appearance at Valdebebas in this tenure, Mourinho indicated that he had already been deeply involved in the club’s operations in the preceding days. “We’ve been working very hard. It’s not as if I arrived today and everything started. We’ve been working for a long time with the club’s structure at different levels. Nowadays, you can work without being physically here because technology helps us enormously. So today was really about arriving and reviewing everything that’s already been done and everything we still have to do.”
The Portuguese manager expressed enthusiasm about meeting his players, both from the first team and from the academy. “We have to make the most of the next two weeks with a positive attitude because I’d like to have all the players here. It’s time to get to know the boys I’ll be working with and for them to get to know me. During pre-season, many players from Castilla will also be here, and I enjoy taking part in and helping with their development. Here we are, and eventually some world champions will join us. I come with great confidence, with the feeling that I love this club and… Hala Madrid, and nothing more!”
Regarding his staff, Mourinho intends to continue collaborating with the same team he had at Benfica, namely Joao Tralhao, Pedro Machado, Roberto Merella, Nuno Santos, and Antonio Dias. However, one critical change looms, as the new Real Madrid era begins under Mourinho’s leadership, signaling the start of a fresh strategy aimed at restoring the club’s glory. The plan centers on establishing a strong culture of discipline, accountability, and sustained ambition across the squad, while integrating the academy’s talents into a broader long-term project. As Real Madrid prepares to launch the preseason, Mourinho’s blend of experience, technology-driven preparation, and a clear mission promises to shape the team’s approach in the months ahead.