Mourinho Returns to Center Stage: He Wants to Win the Champions League Trophy He Owes Real Madrid

Mourinho Returns to Center Stage: Continuing His Unfinished Champions League Story with Real Madrid at the Bernabeu

An interesting scene appeared at Real Madrid's Valdebebas training ground in Madrid on Monday: while the players were split into two groups for rondo warm-ups, head coach Mourinho was working alone on the pitch like a member of the backroom staff. He personally moved equipment, first placing a yellow marker pole and then setting up a blue mannequin wall.

The scene took place on the eve of Real Madrid's Champions League opener against Inter Milan. After disappearing from the mainstream spotlight for several years, the 'Special One' was clearly enjoying his return to the center of world football attention.

Bernabeu: A Place Where Glory and Regret Intertwine

For Mourinho, the Bernabeu has special significance. In 2010, as Inter Milan's head coach, he lifted the second Champions League trophy of his career there. The story after that final was highly dramatic: Mourinho did not even board Inter's celebration bus, instead getting directly into Real Madrid president Florentino Perez's car in the stadium parking lot and beginning his first spell at Real Madrid.

However, during his three years in charge of Real Madrid, although he ended Barcelona's dominance, he never managed to win the Champions League trophy. 'At the Bernabeu, I have won the Champions League, and I have also been eliminated in a semi-final penalty shootout. This place has witnessed both the peak and the low point of my career,' Mourinho said before the match. 'But the past is history, and today's Real Madrid is completely different from that team.'

Taking Charge in a Crisis: Moving from 'Instability' to 'Stability'

The reason Real Madrid brought Mourinho back was his ability to improve the team's competitiveness. When he first took charge in 2010, Real Madrid had been eliminated in the Champions League round of 16 for six consecutive years; now, Real Madrid have been knocked out in the quarter-finals for two straight seasons and went trophyless in the league and cup competitions last season.

Mourinho openly stated that he inherited a team with 'problems in its foundations.' His first task is not to pursue flashy football, but to build stability for a turbulent Real Madrid side.

A Realistic Challenge: A Midfield Shortage

In his first Champions League match after returning, Mourinho immediately faces a severe test. Since his target signing Rodri eventually joined rivals Barcelona, Real Madrid's midfield depth was already insufficient. Making matters worse, Camavinga, Guler and new signing Bernardo Silva are all unavailable for this match due to red-card suspensions from last season.

At present, the only natural defensive midfielder available to Mourinho is Valverde. He has to consider moving Arnold or Bellingham deeper to fill the vacancy.

Former Student Turns Into Opponent

Ironically, Mourinho's first Champions League opponent after returning is Inter Milan, the team he once led to European glory. Inter's current coach Chivu was one of the key contributors when Mourinho guided Inter to the title.

Today's Inter Milan team cannot be underestimated, as they are currently second in Serie A. Although Inter sold Dumfries to Real Madrid this summer, they brought in several strong reinforcements from the Premier League, including Akanji, Stones and Jones, giving them significant squad depth.

The 'Special One' Remains the Same

Although time has passed, Mourinho's highly controversial personality remains unchanged. At the pre-match press conference, he once again showed the same 'why?' attitude he had after losing to Barcelona years ago, but this time his criticism was directed at VAR decisions in last weekend's league match. That defeat was also his first loss since taking charge of Real Madrid for a second time.

Tonight, under the Bernabeu sky, Mourinho will begin another Champions League journey. This time, can he make up for past regrets and lead Real Madrid back to the top? The whole of Europe is watching.