The man, the myth, the legend Jose Mourinho is coming to Real Madrid to save the day for a second time in his career, as president Florentino Perez is in talks to hire one of the greatest managers of all time after yet another run of back to back seasons without a trophy.
Most will welcome the Special One's return to the Santiago Bernabeu, but just as these three players will love Mourinho being in charge, there are three others who will not be fans of this impending hire.
Winner: CM Fede Valverde
Fede Valverde's had the worst season of his career off the pitch between his friction with Xabi Alonso over playing right back every week and the infamous altercation with Aurelien Tchouameni. If anyone needs a change in manager, then it is Fede, who will benefit from Jose Mourinho. Like Mourinho, Valverde loves to win and has that warrior mentality, and he will appreciate the way Mourinho approaches the game. Valverde is the engine of Real Madrid, and while his stock fell as a captain, Mou can bring it back up.
Loser: DM Aurelien Tchouameni
On the contrary, Aurelien Tchouameni was the guy who fought with Valverde in the locker room, and although the media leaks made him seem like the hero despite Fede being the one concussed, fans are more concerned with Tchou's performances on the pitch. Like compatriot Eduardo Camavinga, Tchouameni has shown no growth since joining Real Madrid, but the real problem is that he seems more eager to fight his teammates than fight the opposition. Mourinho won't like how passive Tchouameni is for a Real Madrid starting defensive midfielder.
Winner: GK Thibaut Courtois
The conscience of the Real Madrid locker room, Thibaut Courtois might be the only star from the 2025/26 Real Madrid team to emerge from the season with his reputation intact. He will be the leader of the organization with Jose Mourinho, who will lean on his former Chelsea star's quality and quiet confidence.
Loser: FW Kylian Mbappe
After the stunt Kylian Mbappe pulled to the press in throwing Alvaro Arbeloa under the bus after a 2-0 win over Real Oviedo, Jose Mourinho is going to keep Mbappe on a very, very short leash. And if Mbappe does not run or work for the team or acts like he did towards Arbeloa, Mourinho will have no issues showing him the door.
Winner: CM Jude Bellingham
Jude Bellingham works harder than any other Real Madrid player on the pitch and was the club's biggest star in his first season in 2023/24 before Mbappe's arrival forced him into a more defensive role. Mourinho is going to turn Jude back into one of world football's biggest monster, because both men are addicted to winning and abrasive in their pursuit of glory for the team. They are a match made in heaven.
Loser: LB Alvaro Carreras
Like Mbappe, Alvaro Carreras caused issues in the locker room, and he was one of the players complaining about minutes. His performances on the pitch suffered badly. Mourinho wants guys who play smart, defend hard, and care about the structure of the team. Carreras comes off as a player who bought into his hype too soon and is too immature for Real Madrid. Mou will eat him for breakfast and was him down with two espressi.
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