Mourinho set to return to Real Madrid with Pepe in his coaching staff, says Spanish press

José Mourinho is set to return to the Real Madrid bench, and he will not be making the journey alone: according to the Spanish press, former defender Pepe is expected to feature in his future coaching staff at the Casa Blanca.

The appointment of the “Special One” stems directly from Florentino Perez’s re-election as club president until 2030 — a campaign promise by the Madrid chief executive. Mourinho, 63, is thus leaving Benfica to rejoin a club he managed between 2010 and 2013.

Pepe, Portuguese centre-back trained in the Merengue academy, wore the white shirt for ten seasons, from 2007 to 2017, winning notably three UEFA Champions League titles. His intimate knowledge of the dressing room and club culture would constitute a valuable asset for Mourinho, whose mission will be to reconcile a squad of stars and end two seasons without a trophy.

The Mourinho-Pepe partnership is not unprecedented: the two men collaborated at Real Madrid during the Portuguese manager’s first spell, and their rapport both on and off the pitch is well documented. It remains to officially confirm an appointment that the Spanish press now presents as imminent.