With recent rumors tipping Rafael Benitez to be sacked by Real Madrid following a number of disappointing displays by Los Blancos, reports were quick to link Jose Mourinho with a return.
The Portuguese tactician had spent three years at Santiago Bernabeu prior to his second spell with Chelsea, winning La Liga, Copa del Rey, and Spanish Super Cup.
However, his relationship with the board and a certain key figures in the dressing room – Ronaldo, Ramos, and Casillas – deteriorated before Jose departed and rejoined the Blues in the English top-flight.
Now, though, the 52-year-old has been sacked by the reigning English Premier League champions after a huge dip in form which saw them drop to within a point of the relegation zone, meaning the Special One is now a free agent.
So does this mean Les Merengues may seize the opportunity to sign Mourinho once more? Club president Florentino Perez opened up about this issue, giving a verdict on a possible return.
Perez’s answer was plain and simple: Rafael Benitez’s is going nowhere. And although the Real Madrid president ruled out an immediate return for Jose, he left the door open to the prospect of once managing the Liga BBVA giants in the future.
"Rafa Benitez will not be replaced," Perez revealed.
"Although some media has said he will, I repeat that coaches are appointed by the club and Benitez has come to solve a problem. He is the solution, not the problem.
"Will Mourinho coach Madrid again? Nobody can predict the future, but right now I say no."
"I have very good memories of Mourinho. He raised the competitive level," the Real Madrid president added, though.
"When he got here … we occupied 13th place in the Uefa rankings and Mourinho got us back to the top and helped us play three [Champions League] semi-finals in three years.
"But Benitez is coach of Real Madrid now. We chose from many and we thought that he was the right person for this moment.
"After we won the Club World Cup we began a gradual deterioration from January and needed a new impetus. We believe Rafa Benitez must be given time."
