Fenerbahce head coach Jose Mourinho has left the door open for a potential return to Real Madrid in the future.
The 61-year-old Portuguese manager previously led Madrid to a LaLiga title, a Copa del Rey, and a Spanish Super Cup during his three-year tenure from 2010 to 2013.
When asked about the possibility of managing Madrid again, Mourinho expressed his admiration for the club while praising the current head coach, Carlo Ancelotti.
“I’ll always be a big fan of Real Madrid. They have the best coach in the world, my friend Carlo [Ancelotti]. He’s doing very well,” Mourinho said.
“The future depends on what the president [Florentino Perez] wants, if he wants a young coach with a big projection as Xabi [Alonso] or continue in the same line as Carlo, a coach with experience, or look at the youth section [Madrid reserves coach] with Raul or [Madrid youth team coach Alvaro] Arbeloa. It depends.”
Xabi Alonso, a former Madrid midfielder and current Bayer Leverkusen coach, is regarded as a strong candidate to eventually succeed Ancelotti if the club decides to part ways with the Italian.
Ancelotti, now in his second spell at Real Madrid, has a contract running until June 2026.
At 65 years old, the veteran coach continues to guide Madrid to success, including a 3-2 victory over Atalanta in Tuesday’s Champions League match.
Mourinho remains confident that Real Madrid president Florentino Perez will make the right decision regarding the club’s future leadership when the time comes.
“Florentino [Perez] hasn’t made many wrong decisions at Madrid,” Mourinho added. “I’m certain as a Madrid fan that his next decision will be the right one.”
Mourinho has been the head coach of Fenerbahce since June, taking the position six months after leaving Roma.
As speculation around Real Madrid’s future coaching options continues, Mourinho remains an admirer of the club he once managed and is ready to support whichever direction they choose.
