Jose Mourinho once again became a protagonist off the field after categorically ruling out any possibility of returning to Real Madrid. The Portuguese coach, currently in charge of Benfica, reacted to rumors circulating in the Spanish press following the dismissal of Xabi Alonso as manager of Real Madrid, a situation that fueled speculation about possible replacements with a history at the club. Get 20% off UEFA Champions League broadcasts in Spanish on DAZN. The Portuguese manager's response came after his team's 2-0 victory against Rio Ave on Saturday, when he was directly asked about his name being linked to the Real Madrid job. True to his ironic style, Mourinho did not shy away from the topic, but neither did he leave room for ambiguous interpretations.

“Don't count on me for soap operas… There are good soap operas, but they're very long, you miss one or two episodes and then you can't follow the story. Don't count on me, I don't get involved in soap operas,” he said with a laugh, though with a clear message: his future doesn't involve returning to the Santiago Bernabeu.

An intense past in Madrid and a present with Benfica

Mourinho managed Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013, a period marked by a fierce rivalry with Pep Guardiola's Barcelona and by a deliberate attempt to change the club's competitive mentality in Europe. During that period, he won the Copa del Rey in 2011 and LaLiga in 2012, in addition to setting records for points and goals in the domestic league. However, his time in the Spanish capital was also marked by European frustration, as he failed to secure the coveted tenth Champions League title, an objective that had eluded the club at the time and which they finally achieved in 2014, without the Portuguese manager at the helm. The current situation in Madrid is different. After Xabi Alonso's departure as manager, the club opted for another former player coached by Mourinho: Alvaro Arbeloa. The former defender, now a manager, has acknowledged on more than one occasion the influence that "The Special One" had on his understanding of football and team management. to the point of defining himself as "as 'Mourinho-esque' as possible," a phrase that illustrates the Portuguese manager's legacy in some of his players. Meanwhile, Mourinho is focused on his present with Benfica. Despite the away victory against Rio Ave, the Lisbon team is still far from the top of the Portuguese Primeira Liga. The Eagles currently occupy third place with 42 points, three behind the reigning champion Sporting and ten behind the leader Porto, a gap that necessitates a significant comeback if they aspire to the title.