Why Real Madrid and Florentino Perez Took a Gamble on the Risky Return of Jose Mourinho
At last, the moment is right for Jose Mourinho to make his comeback at the Bernabeu.
It required one of the most turbulent seasons in the club's history for Perez to once again turn to Mourinho, who, much like the team, is desperate for silverware after a prolonged trophy drought.
On the field, Madrid underperformed in both domestic and European competitions, causing friction among players and fans.
A dressing room altercation led to Federico Valverde being taken to hospital, while supporters demonstrated against Perez and star striker Kylian Mbappe.
Following the eventual collapse of the European Super League initiative, Perez and Madrid have recently redirected their efforts towards resuming hostilities with arch-rivals Barcelona.
Thirteen years after his departure, the combative Portuguese manager returns with a mission akin to the one he had upon his appointment in 2010: to stop Barcelona, regardless of the cost.
Back then, he had to contend with Pep Guardiola's dominant team; now, it is Hansi Flick's entertaining side that stands in his way.
Real Madrid are confident that Mourinho can once again transform a gifted yet fragile squad into a resolute group of winners.
The decision to appoint Mourinho, after several years away from Europe's top tier and spells in Turkey and his home country Portugal, is unquestionably a risk.
Nevertheless, it is a risk that the 79-year-old Madrid president has been considering for some time.
Perez has always maintained respect for Mourinho following his initial tenure at the club, which the Madrid chief believes set the stage for Real's subsequent European triumphs by instilling greater resilience and a tougher mentality.
Mourinho was unable to secure the coveted 10th Champions League title himself, but his successor Carlo Ancelotti achieved that feat in 2014.
In the subsequent decade, the record 15-time champions added five more European crowns.
"He elevated our competitive standard... and from that point we won six Champions Leagues in 10 years," Perez stated in May.
In 2013, Perez admitted that Mourinho departed by mutual agreement rather than being dismissed by his frequently employed axe. It was an unfinished endeavour.
In the years that followed, Real have adopted Mourinho's confrontational attitude, amplifying the atmosphere he cultivated.
They regularly berate 'corrupted' officials on the club's television channel and have clashed with LaLiga and UEFA.
The scene is set for Mourinho's comeback, and Perez hopes that the 63-year-old can also restore order in the dressing room.
The fiercely competitive Mourinho has demonstrated his ability to handle superstars and their egos, such as Cristiano Ronaldo, exuding authority and charisma.
Mourinho is also adept at absorbing media pressure and protecting his players from scrutiny, as he consistently did during his earlier stint in Madrid.
The manager guided the team to their finest league campaign, amassing 100 points in the 2011/12 season, which saw them end Barcelona's domestic supremacy.
The cautious Mourinho, whose Benfica team went undefeated in the Portuguese top flight this season despite finishing only third, might also be capable of addressing Real's porous defence.
An undoubted risk
That is, provided everything goes according to plan. If not, Madrid could completely collapse.
Whether Mourinho can connect with younger players appears questionable. His methods might have been effective 10 or 20 years ago, but the current generation does not seem to react favourably to his approach.
The Portuguese coach has not won a league title in 11 years, and his sole trophy in the last nine is the Conference League with Roma, indicating that he may no longer be suited to leading a genuine European powerhouse.
Hiring Mourinho might represent a desperate Perez opting for nostalgia rather than a coherent plan.
Since Mourinho's departure, Real have flourished under man-managers and coaches with a gentler touch such as Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane, rather than disciplinarians.
"I consider him a great professional, but I do not want him at Real Madrid. I think other managers are more suitable to coach the club of my life," said former Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas earlier this May.
During his draining previous reign, Mourinho elevated Diego Lopez above Spanish World Cup winner Casillas, one of many decisions that divided opinion.
Mourinho also stirred controversy in February when his Benfica side faced Real in a Champions League play-off tie.
Madrid winger Vinicius Junior alleged that he was racially abused by Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni, but Mourinho argued that the Portuguese club could not be racist since their greatest icon is Eusebio.
That may not provide the strongest start for him in the dressing room.
Perhaps Perez believes that even if Mourinho's tenure ends disastrously, it will eradicate the decaying elements at the club and pave the way for a fresh beginning. But first, get the popcorn ready for the spectacle.