Jose Mourinho has made clear that his second spell at Real Madrid isn't just about what happens on matchdays. "I have come to work 'for' Madrid, not 'in' Madrid," he said upon his arrival, and he has since spelled out exactly what he means by that. Speaking before the derby, he explained his view of the job in blunt terms: "In my case, it is not only about coaching and playing. From my point of view, a coach's work is much more global, it has far greater influence on the construction of a club... in this case, on the football side of a club (Real Madrid). It is not strictly about coaching, picking who plays, playing, making substitutions... That is not enough for me. It is very basic."
That statement lines up with what's actually happening behind the scenes. No coach in Florentino Perez's 23 years as president has been handed this level of authority at the club, a level of influence compared to what Alex Ferguson had at Manchester United or Arsene Wenger at Arsenal. It's also worth noting that Mourinho is the only coach in Florentino's presidency who was never sacked by him; he left in 2013, after three seasons, by mutual agreement, essentially because he chose to.
Beyond the touchline, Mourinho's remit now covers the club's public messaging, acting as a link between the academy and the first team, managing human resources for staff connected to the first team at Valdebebas, and shaping strategy in the transfer market.
Transfer strategy
The shift in Real Madrid's approach to the market since Mourinho arrived has been noticeable. In previous seasons it would have been unthinkable for the club to invest in players around the age of 30, yet that's exactly what's happened with Dumfries (30), Konate (27), Cucurella (28) and Bernardo Silva (32). Mourinho reportedly identified a lack of grit, competitiveness and experience in a squad stocked with players who have plenty of future promise but limited present impact, names like Mastantuono, Endrick, Guler, Carreras and Huijsen. His answer has been to bring in players capable of contributing from day one.
A difficult spokesperson role
Mourinho has long been known for how he handles the media, and now, with what's described as added maturity, he's even more measured in his messaging. That has given Florentino Perez someone who can coherently front the club's line, particularly with the Negreira case still hanging over Real Madrid and its responsibilities yet to be established.
Two incidents involving Kang-In and Cuti Romero during the derby, both reviewed by the referee and VAR after red cards, tested Mourinho's handling of the press, and by the club's assessment he came through it. Real Madrid has given him full authority in this area, and he has spoken consistently both before and after matches, a contrast to his time at Benfica, where he had stopped doing so regularly.
Bridge to the youth academy
Despite having a home in Madrid, Mourinho spends plenty of late nights at Valdebebas, staying close not just to the staff overseeing the club's academy but to the young players themselves, many of whom he knows personally and interacts with daily.
During his first spell in charge, across three seasons, he gave first-team debuts to nearly 30 players, though only 17 of those came in competitive matches. Names like Juan Carlos, Diego Llorente, Adan, Sarabia, Alex Fernandez, Mejias, Jesus Fernandez, Joselu, Casado, Cheryshev, Mendes, Pablo Gil and Mascarell all got minutes under him, though only Nacho and Morata ended up becoming genuinely important first-team players.
Now Mourinho speaks highly of Manuel Fernandez, the academy's sporting director. Players such as Thiago Pitarch, and previously Gonzalo, have broken into the first team, while the club generated more than 200 million euros from academy player sales in the last transfer window. Mourinho's philosophy is that promoting a young player for a token appearance means little unless the club follows through with continued backing. "They must be coherent moves," he has said.
Human resources management at Valdebebas
Mourinho is a constant presence around the training complex, presenting himself as approachable to all staff. He has pushed to raise standards there, bringing first-team players in earlier, improving habits around nutrition and injury treatment, and introducing sanctions for lateness, all aimed at competitiveness and ensuring every player is held to the same standard.
That focus on unity and a positive working environment is, at least in part, how Florentino Perez explains the six Champions League titles Real Madrid won after Mourinho's departure in 2013, a run that also included three consecutive semi-final appearances. "After each success, the president called me...," Mourinho revealed, reflecting on a relationship that has now handed him full powers for his second spell at the club.
