José Mourinho is set for a reunion with former club Inter Milan as he leads his current side Real Madrid in a Champions League clash on Tuesday evening.
"The Special One" returned to manage Los Blancos in the summer 13 years after he first left the post, having spent three years at the helm. He first got the job after bidding farewell to Inter to take up the position with the Spanish giants.
Tonight's clash at the Bernabéu sees Mourinho take on the side that he once managed for the first time since 2023 and the reunion is set to be a grand occasion with it being so much for both the Portuguese icon and the two clubs.
Why José Mourinho's reunion with Inter Milan means so much
After bringing an end to a successful spell with Chelsea in 2007, Mourinho needed a new challenge and was appointed as Inter's new manager to replace Roberto Mancini ahead of the 2008/09 season.
He immediately brought glory to the San Siro, winning the Supercoppa Italiana before claiming the Serie A title in his debut campaign. The following term proved to be a historic one, as he and Inter won an iconic treble, claiming the league title once again, as well as winning the Coppa Italia and the club's third Champions League title, and their first since 1965.
Supporters of I Nerazzurri were naturally disappointed to see Mourinho leave after the Champions League final as he secured a dream move to manage Real Madrid, where he tasted even more victory, winning a La Liga title, the Copa del Rey and the Supercopa de España.
Fast forward to the present day, and "The Special One" is preparing for another reunion with his former side as he bids to return Real Madrid to glory while also campaigning for a personal victory against Inter.
Since he left the San Siro in 2010, Mourinho has managed against Inter on six occasions, all coming during his three-year spell with Roma, but he was only victorious in one match, losing the other five.
His sole victory came in Milan during the 2022/23 season, leading I Giallorossi to a 2-1 win as goals from Paulo Dybala and Chris Smalling overturned a first-half deficit set by Federico Dimarco. That was where the joy ended, though, as it was his only triumph.
Mourinho would no doubt absolutely love to get one over on his former side, despite still being well loved by the Inter faithful for everything he did during his time with the club.
However, personal gain is only a small motivator in his ultimate goal for tonight's clash, with this game potentially setting Real Madrid on their way to a record-extending 16th Champions League title.
Los Blancos have not tasted European glory since overcoming Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in the final of the 2023/24 edition, and their last two attempts have been pretty dismal to say the least, failing to make it past the quarter-finals in either term.
Their defence of the title in the 2024/25 season saw Real stumble badly in the last eight, losing 5-1 on aggregate to Premier League side Arsenal, while their efforts in the 2025/26 campaign were brought to an end by a 6-4 defeat to Bayern Munich over two legs. That loss was heartbreaking as Luis Díaz and Michael Olise struck late to knock the record winners out.
Mourinho has been viewed by many as the man to claim the European crown for Real Madrid once again, having already done so twice in his career, once with Porto and the other with Inter, and tonight's clash represents the perfect opportunity to set them on their way to achieving that.
Not only does the giant meeting between Real and Inter present Mourinho with a great chance to improve his own personal record against his former side, but it could also act as the beginning of a fairytale return to the Spanish capital for "The Special One".
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