José Mourinho said his return to Real Madrid is “like coming home” on Tuesday, as the coach prepares to take charge of the team in LaLiga for the first time since 2013.
Madrid visit Espanyol on Saturday for their opening league game having brought in Mourinho and six new signings — Yan Diomande, Marc Cucurella, Bernardo Silva, Ibrahima Konaté, Denzel Dumfries and Carlos Espí — as part of a major overhaul this summer.
Mourinho was Madrid coach for three seasons between 2010 and 2013, winning one LaLiga title and one Copa del Rey, and has since managed Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham, AS Roma, Fenerbahce and Benfica, before agreeing to take over from Álvaro Arbeloa at the Bernabéu.
Read more:Barcelona, Real Madrid to play first Clásico Oct. 25 weekend
He has been overseeing preseason training at Valdebebas since last month, but was officially presented — in an event which was not open to the media — alongside president Florentino Pérez on Tuesday, formally signing his three-year contract.
“Real Madrid, from a professional point of view, is the top of a coach’s career,” Mourinho told Real Madrid TV. “That’s the professional side. Then, there’s the emotional side. It’s like coming home. Emotionally, it’s more beautiful than the first time I came. The first time, it was about it being the top of a coach’s career, and now it’s more emotional.”
Mourinho’s first spell in charge saw his team go head-to-head with Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona, with his Madrid breaking LaLiga records for overalll points total and goals scored in 2011-2012.
Read more:Schalke 0-3 Real Madrid: Kylian Mbappé nets, Yan Diomande debuts, as Jose Mourinho stays unbeaten
“I’m one of you,” Mourinho said, in a message for fans. “I always have been, since I arrived, and now I’m here again with this responsibility, you can imagine what it means to me, working for Real Madrid. That’s what I want everyone at Valdebebas to feel, work for Real Madrid.”
Mourinho’s Madrid have played four preseason friendlies ahead of the new campaign, drawing 2-2 with Fiorentina, beating Ferencváros 2-1, winning 1-0 at Deportivo La Coruña, and beating Schalke 3-0 on Sunday.
