Tag: Real Madrid

Portuguese giants Benfica confirmed on Thursday that Spanish club Real Madrid would have to pay 15 million euros to prise away their coach, Jose Mourinho.

Real president Florentino Perez has vowed to bring back Mourinho to the Bernabeu, 13 years after he left the club in 2013, as he seeks re-election this weekend.

Benfica released a statement saying that Perez had told them of his “firm intention to recruit” Mourinho, while stipulating that the Portuguese boss’s release clause was worth 15 million euros ($17.4m).

“Sport Lisboa e Benfica announces that, as part of his campaign for the Real Madrid CF presidency, President Florentino Pérez has stated his firm intention to appoint José Mário dos Santos Mourinho Félix as manager should he win the club’s presidential election, scheduled for 7 June 2026,” the Benfica statement shared with Portugal’s financial regulator, the CMVM, said.

“Should this scenario arise, the appointment will be made for a fee of €15,000,000, corresponding to the termination clause in the current sports employment contract.”

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Previous media reports had suggested that it could cost the Spanish giants as little as three million euros.

Mourinho has already appeared in a video on Perez’s Instagram account, affirming that he was ready to return to the club he first joined in 2010.

During his tenure, he won one La Liga title, a Copa del Rey and a Spanish Super Cup.

Appointing the divisive Mourinho would be a gamble on the part of Perez after Los Blancos finished without a major trophy for a second consecutive season.

But Perez sees Mourinho as the man to bring some discipline to a divided dressing room in which player power is rumoured to have got out of control.

Mourinho joined Benfica in September 2025 and led them to an unbeaten league season, although they only finished third. He has one year left on his contract.

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Jose Mourinho will return to Spanish club Real Madrid should current president Florentino Perez secure re-election in next Sunday’s vote for the club presidency.

In a brief video shared on the official Instagram account of Perez’s campaign, Mourinho appears wearing a Real Madrid shirt and simply says: “Yes.”

The announcement was released at almost the same time as Perez’s electoral rival, Enrique Riquelme, was preparing to unveil a major signing on a television programme.

The video starts with the caption: “While they talk and talk and talk on TV”, before cutting to Mourinho, dressed in white, delivering his response.

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Should Perez win the election, Mourinho would return to the club 13 years after his departure in 2013.

For the unversed, Mourinho first joined Real Madrid in 2010, spending three seasons at the club. During his tenure, he won one La Liga title, a Copa del Rey and a Spanish Super Cup.

Appointing the divisive Mourinho would be a gamble on the part of president Perez after Los Blancos finished without a major trophy for a second consecutive season.

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Austrian defender David Alaba is set to leave Real Madrid at the end of the season when his contract expires, Los Blancos confirmed on Friday.

The 33-year-old has been in the Spanish capital for five years after joining from Bayern Munich, but serious injury problems have stopped him from playing consistently.

“Real Madrid C. F. and David Alaba have agreed to bring his time as a player of our club to an end at the conclusion of the current season,” said Los Blancos in a statement.

Notably, Alaba has represented the club in 131 matches over 5 seasons, during which he has won 11 titles: 2 European Cups, 2 Club World Cups, 2 European Super Cups, 2 La Liga titles, 1 Copa del Rey, and 2 Spanish Super Cups.

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“Real Madrid wishes to express its gratitude and all its affection to a player who has been part of a team that has marked one of the most successful periods in our history,” the club added.

Alaba, like right-back Dani Carvajal and departing coach Alvaro Arbeloa, can say goodbye to the club’s supporters on Saturday in Madrid’s final league match of the season, at home against Athletic Bilbao.

The centre-back, who has not yet announced his next destination, will captain Austria at the World Cup this summer.

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Alvaro Arbeloa announced on Friday that he will be stepping down from his position as head coach of Real Madrid following a season in which the team failed to secure any trophies.

“Yes,” Arbeloa said at a press conference when asked to confirm that he would not be coaching the team next season, amid widespread reports that veteran manager Jose Mourinho is returning to the club.

Los Blancos host Athletic Bilbao on Saturday at the Santiago Bernabeu in their final La Liga match of a turbulent campaign.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez appointed Arbeloa to replace Xabi Alonso in January, and he is set to be replaced himself by Portuguese veteran Mourinho.

Spaniard Arbeloa said he would not work as a member of Mourinho’s staff if the Portuguese coach is appointed as his successor.

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“Mou has a fantastic technical team, he’s got good people around him, if he comes to Madrid, he will come with his team,” said Arbeloa. “There’s no chance that I would be with him. Then, my future… from Monday I’ll think about that.”

Arbeloa, who played at Madrid between 2009 and 2016 and later coached there at the youth level, said he hoped this match was a “see you later” rather than goodbye.

“I hope it’s a see you later… I’ve always considered this my home, I’ve belonged to Madrid for 20 years in various roles,” said Arbeloa.

“It will be my last game this season as coach of Real Madrid. I don’t know if it will be the last game of my life as coach of Real Madrid.

“We never know. I’ll try and enjoy it and try to get the win.”

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MADRID: Jose Mourinho has agreed to return to Real Madrid on a two-year contract, sources told ESPN, with the veteran manager set for a second spell at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The 63-year-old is expected to replace Alvaro Arbeloa, who took charge earlier this year following the departure of Xabi Alonso.

Sources revealed that Mourinho’s agreement with Madrid has been reached verbally, although the contract has not yet been formally signed.

Mourinho is currently in charge of Benfica, where he guided the club through an unbeaten domestic league campaign this season. Despite the strong run, Benfica narrowly missed out on the Portuguese league title.

According to reports, the Portuguese club are set to receive around €7 million in compensation as Mourinho still has a contract running until 2027.

Real Madrid had reportedly considered several high-profile candidates for the managerial role, including Jurgen Klopp, Didier Deschamps and Mauricio Pochettino.

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However, club president Florentino Perez is understood to have backed Mourinho as the ideal figure to revive Madrid after two disappointing seasons without a major trophy.

Madrid currently trail champions Barcelona by 11 points in La Liga with one match remaining, while their UEFA Champions League campaign ended in the quarter-finals against Bayern Munich.

Mourinho previously managed Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013, winning one La Liga title, one Copa del Rey and one Supercopa de España during a fiercely competitive era dominated by Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona.

Since leaving Madrid in 2013, Mourinho has managed Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Roma, Fenerbahçe and Benfica.

Mourinho himself hinted at an imminent decision regarding his future after Benfica’s season concluded.

“My future should be decided this week,” Mourinho said on Sunday, while confirming that his agent Jorge Mendes had been in contact with Real Madrid officials.

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Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe was whistled by fans at the Santiago Bernabeu in his team’s 2-0 win over Real Oviedo on Thursday in La Liga.

The Frenchman returned from a thigh injury as a substitute for Los Blancos, who will finish a second straight season without a major trophy after Barcelona were crowned league champions last week.

Madrid, without Mbappe, lost the Clasico at Camp Nou on Sunday to confirm Hansi Flick’s side as title winners.

Their top goalscorer, Mbappe, has come in for heavy criticism from the club’s fans in recent weeks for a perceived lack of commitment to the cause.

Gonzalo Garcia opened the scoring for second-place Madrid before half-time, and Jude Bellingham added the second in a routine victory over relegated Oviedo at a stadium with thousands of empty seats.

“The whistles… that’s life, you can’t change the opinion of the people when they are angry,” Mbappe told reporters.

“It’s the life of a Real Madrid player and a famous player like me. Footballers don’t always have to understand; they have to accept and look forward and change the situation.”

Alvaro Arbeloa, whose future as Madrid coach is poised to come to an end with Jose Mourinho linked with a return to the Bernabeu bench, began with Mbappe and England international Bellingham on the bench.

Franco Mastantuono forced an early save from Aaron Escandell in what proved Madrid’s best opening for most of the first period.

At the other end, Nacho Vidal smashed over after a good move from the visitors.

Madrid winger Vinicius Junior, who was also the target of some whistles, had a shot blocked and then fired the rebound into the side-netting.

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Madrid edged ahead with a tidy finish by Garcia shortly before the interval after Brahim Diaz fired a low pass his way in the box.

Escandell tipped over a Diaz drive and then saved from Alvaro Carreras at the near post in the second half.

Vidal missed another fine chance for Oviedo, dragging his shot across the goal and wide.

Arbeloa sent on Mbappe, who was whistled by Madrid’s fans, particularly unhappy at his recent holiday to Sardinia while recovering from injury.

Mbappe, who scored 41 goals in 41 games across all competitions this season before this game, tried his best to shrug it off. The striker had a couple of shots off-target and another blocked.

Many Los Blancos players have been jeered by Madrid supporters over the years, including Mbappe’s idol Cristiano Ronaldo.

Madrid president Florentino Perez this week called elections during a tumultuous period for the club.

Stewards took away a banner from fans reading “Florentino go now”, with opinion split over the Madrid chief.

Bellingham added the second for Madrid after receiving the ball from Mbappe, creating some space for himself and drilling hard and low past Escandell from just inside the box.

It settled this match, but Madrid’s problems will not be solved as easily.

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FC Barcelona legend Lionel Messi congratulated his former club on social media after the Catalans defeated arch-rivals Real Madrid 2-0 in El Clasico to secure the La Liga title at a packed Camp Nou.

Goals from Marcus Rashford and Ferran Torres in the first half guided Hansi Flick’s side to their 29th league crown and a second consecutive La Liga triumph.

The victory moved Barcelona 14 points clear of second-placed Real Madrid with only three matches remaining, confirming the title and condemning Los Blancos to a trophyless campaign.

Shortly after the final whistle, Messi shared his reaction on Instagram, posting a story with the words “Champion” and “Visca Barca,” meaning “Long live Barcelona.”

The Argentine icon spent 18 remarkable years at Barcelona and remains the club’s all-time leading scorer with 672 goals in 778 appearances.

Messi won every major trophy during his legendary spell at Camp Nou before leaving the club in 2021 in emotional circumstances to join Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). He later moved to Inter Miami, where he guided the MLS side to the 2025 MLS Cup title.

Barcelona entered the Clasico needing only to avoid defeat to secure the title, but the Catalans showed attacking intent from the start in front of a jubilant 62,000-strong crowd at Camp Nou.

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It marked the first Clasico at the stadium since its reopening, and the hosts responded with a dominant first-half display.

Rashford opened the scoring with a stunning free-kick from around 20 yards out, curling the ball into the top-left corner to spark wild celebrations.

Torres then doubled Barcelona’s advantage before halftime to put the champions firmly in control.

The match also carried historical significance as it was only the second time a La Liga title had been decided directly through the result of an El Clasico.

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BARCELONA: Defending champions Barcelona secured their 29th La Liga title after beating arch-rivals Real Madrid 2-0 in the Clasico at Camp Nou on Sunday.

Marcus Rashford and Ferran Torres struck in the first half to help Hansi Flick’s side clinch La Liga in consecutive years, while consigning Madrid to a trophyless season.

Barcelona moved an unassailable 14 points clear of second-place Los Blancos with three matches remaining.

This was only the second time the outcome of La Liga has been decided directly by the result of a Clasico, with record 36-time champions Real Madrid winning their first title in 1932 after a draw with Barcelona.

Flick’s team were disappointed to be knocked out in the Champions League quarter-finals by Atletico Madrid in April, but were still determined to celebrate in style.

“This title is more special for winning it at home against Madrid, now we have to enjoy it with the fans,” Barca midfielder Frenkie de Jong told Movistar.

“We have been the best team in Spain, of course, we (also) want to win the Champions League, that’s the objective. Next year we will have another opportunity.”

Real Madrid arrived at the match embroiled in chaos, after midfielder Fede Valverde was ruled out with a head injury following a training ground scuffle with team-mate Aurelien Tchouameni, who started.

Barca coach Flick received bad news before the game, with his father passing away, but took his place on the touchline regardless, to oversee his side’s comfortable triumph.

The German opted for the energetic Rashford, on loan from Manchester United, on the right wing in place of the injured teenage star Lamine Yamal.

The Catalans, who only needed to avoid defeat, came out with their eyes firmly locked on the prize, racing into a two-goal lead inside 18 minutes.

Rashford opened the scoring with a superb free-kick, whipping the ball into the top left corner from a position 20 yards out, right of centre.

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Torres doubled the hosts’ advantage at a jubilant Camp Nou, the 62,000-strong crowd enjoying the first Clasico back there since the stadium was reopened.

Dani Olmo produced a clever backheel to allow Torres to burst into the box and ram past Thibaut Courtois.

Gonzalo Garcia, playing in place of injured Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe, prodded narrowly wide after racing in behind Barca’s high defensive line.

Urged on by coach Alvaro Arbeloa on the touchline, unlikely to be at the helm next season, Real Madrid battled to stem the bleeding.

Rashford could have added a third before the break but fired wide, with Fermin Lopez unmarked and well placed to finish.

Torres should have struck early in the second half, but Courtois saved from the Spain international as he ran through.

Jude Bellingham put the ball in Barcelona’s net, but the goal was ruled out for offside, while Joan Garcia thwarted Vinicius Junior as Madrid threatened.

Barcelona fans batted inflatable beach balls around to taunt the Brazilian over his unfulfilled Ballon d’Or ambitions, and lapped up the party atmosphere.

Courtois was saved from substitutes Raphinha, back after injury, and Robert Lewandowski as Madrid saw out the remainder of the match without taking further damage.

Flick’s side remain on course to match the record of 100 points in a league season and can win all their home matches if they defeat Real Betis in the one remaining.

Meanwhile, Madrid finish a second consecutive season without a major trophy, staring down the barrel of a summer reshuffle, including former coach Jose Mourinho being linked with a potential return.

What is clear is that, for now, president Florentino Perez cannot seem to find the solution to end Flick’s Barca’s domestic domination.

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Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa said Aurelien Tchouameni will be in his team’s squad to face Barcelona on Sunday in La Liga, despite his confrontation with team-mate Fede Valverde.

The Uruguay captain was treated in hospital for a head injury and will miss up to a fortnight while he recovers, after the two players argued at the end of training on Thursday.

Real Madrid fined France international Tchouameni and Valverde on Friday and said both midfielders had apologised to each other and the club, fans, staff and team-mates.

If Real Madrid fail to beat Barcelona, the Catalans will be crowned Spanish champions for a second consecutive season.

“Tomorrow Tchouameni will be in the squad,” Arbeloa told reporters, when asked about the Frenchman’s availability for the Clasico at Camp Nou.

Arbeloa, who replaced Xabi Alonso in January of a troubled season for Madrid, said he had accepted both players’ apologies for the incident.

“I’m very proud of the club’s decisiveness, speed, and transparency, and that the players have acknowledged their mistake, expressed their regret, accepted the consequences of what they have done, and asked for forgiveness,” said Arbeloa.

“For me, that’s enough. What I’m not going to do is burn them at the stake in public, because they don’t deserve that… because of what they’ve shown me over these four months and over these years.

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“They’ve shown they understand what it means to be a Real Madrid player, their commitment, their effort, their love for the shirt, and I’m not going to forget that.”

Arbeloa said what was more troubling to him was that somebody would leak the details of the row to the media.

“That things are leaked that happened in the dressing room, to me is a betrayal of Real Madrid and the club badge,” said the coach.

Arbeloa was at Liverpool in 2007 when Welsh striker Craig Bellamy hit team-mate John Arne Riise with a golf club. A few days later, Bellamy celebrated scoring against Barcelona at Camp Nou in the Champions League with a golf swing celebration.

“I had a team-mate who smacked another one with a golf club,” remembered Arbeloa.

“For me, the thing that hurts me the most is that what happens in the Real Madrid dressing room should stay in the Real Madrid dressing room.

“Situations that don’t represent Real Madrid, or any club, situations that shouldn’t happen between teammates, have always happened, everywhere, but I’m not justifying it.”

Arbeloa added that it was “not easy” for the players to be at Real Madrid and on the verge of not winning a major trophy for two consecutive seasons.

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Real Madrid announced on Friday that they had fined Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde 500,000 euros ($588,000) each after a training ground clash that left the latter needing hospital treatment.

The club did not impose any sporting sanctions on the two players, saying in a statement that the fine “thereby concludes the internal procedures” launched against them.

Valverde will miss Sunday’s Clasico against Barcelona as a result of the head injury he suffered during the altercation. The club said he would be out for up to two weeks.

Tchouameni took part in training on Friday and could feature at Camp Nou this weekend.

Real Madrid said both players “expressed their complete remorse for what happened and apologised to each other” while taking part in a club investigation.

“They extended their apologies to the club, their teammates, the coaching staff, and the fans, and both have made themselves available to Real Madrid to accept whatever sanction the club deems appropriate,” read a club statement.

Uruguay international Valverde was accompanied to the hospital facility near the club’s Valdebebas training complex by Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa, according to Spanish reports, which stated that the player required stitches to treat a facial wound.

Uruguay midfielder Valverde sought to downplay the severity of the altercation with the France midfielder.

“The strain of the competition and frustration caused the situation to escalate,” Valverde wrote on social media, expressing regret at the media coverage of the incident.

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“I accidentally hit a table during the argument, causing a small cut on my forehead that required a routine visit to the hospital,” he said.

“At no point did my team-mate hit me, and I didn’t hit him either.”

Tchouameni admitted that what had happened was far from acceptable.

“Regardless of who is right and who is wrong, we should always look for a peaceful resolution to any dispute,” said the Frenchman.

“There’s no point going on about who did what or who said what, and I accept the fine,” he said. “Now we have to move forward and play this Clasico and make sure the club does as well as is still possible.”

According to reports, the two players clashed on Wednesday during training, and their argument continued on Thursday, both during and after the session.

Spanish media reported Valverde refused to shake Tchouameni’s hand and later fouled him in Thursday’s training session, with the pair scrapping afterwards in the dressing room when the injury occurred.

Tensions are running high at Real Madrid with the club on the verge of a second consecutive season without a major trophy.

Los Blancos trail Barca by 11 points at the top of La Liga, with Hansi Flick’s side able to clinch back-to-back league titles on Sunday if they do not lose.

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