Mourinho faces Inter reunion as Real Madrid begin European revival

José Mourinho begins his second spell at Real Madrid with a Champions League reunion against Inter Milan on Tuesday at the Santiago Bernabeu, 16 years after leaving the Italian club following its historic treble.

Did José Mourinho win anything with Real Madrid?

José Mourinho won domestic trophies with Real Madrid during his first spell but could not deliver the Champions League title the club wanted. He helped challenge Barcelona’s dominance in Spain before leaving in 2013, with his European record at the club ending in three consecutive semi-final appearances.

Mourinho was at the peak of his powers when he left Inter in 2010 after leading the club to Serie A, the Coppa Italia and Champions League glory.

Now, 16 years on, Mourinho begins his second stint at Madrid against the same club with which he reached the pinnacle of European football.

Neither Mourinho nor Inter have been able to reproduce that level of European success since.

Mourinho, meanwhile, could not take Real Madrid beyond the semi-finals during his first spell. After leaving the club in 2013, he has mainly competed in Europe’s secondary competitions.

The Portuguese coach led Manchester United to the Europa League in 2017 and won the Conference League with Roma in 2022.

Why did José Mourinho return to Real Madrid?

Mourinho returned to Real Madrid this summer after two seasons without a major trophy for the club. President Florentino Perez brought him back with the task of restoring Madrid to the top of European football.

Only five coaches have won the Champions League more times than Mourinho. He also lifted the trophy with Porto in 2004, a triumph that helped launch his career at Chelsea and across Europe’s biggest leagues.

“My attraction to Real Madrid is due to its history, its frustrations in recent years and its expectations to win,” Mourinho said in 2010.

During his first reign, Mourinho helped disrupt Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona dominance in Spain. However, he could not end Madrid’s wait for a 10th European Cup.

That achievement came under Carlo Ancelotti, who won the trophy three times across two spells at the club. Zinedine Zidane also won it three times in consecutive seasons, contributing to six Champions League triumphs for Madrid across a remarkable 10-year period.

Perez has credited Mourinho with helping build the foundations for those successes.

“I’m glad my work had some positive impact, but the titles belong to Carlo, Zidane, the players, and the fans,” Mourinho said.

Can Mourinho restore Real Madrid’s European dominance?

Madrid’s grip on the Champions League has weakened over the past two seasons. They were eliminated by Arsenal in the quarter-finals in 2025 before Bayern Munich knocked them out in the last 16 last season.

Mourinho now faces the challenge of proving that both he and Real Madrid can return to Europe’s elite. Another major target will be stopping Luis Enrique’s Paris Saint-Germain from retaining the Champions League for a third consecutive year.

“Finishing without trophies at Real Madrid is not a successful season,” Mourinho said in August.

His second stint began smoothly, with Madrid winning their first three games. However, they suffered their first defeat on Friday, losing 1-0 to Real Betis.

Inter’s visit to Madrid therefore provides an early test of Mourinho’s return and his ambitions in Europe. It also brings him face-to-face with the club he led to his last Champions League triumph, this time from the opposite side of the rivalry.