Real Madrid: Mourinho’s surprising change since his return

José Mourinho left Real Madrid in 2013 after falling out with almost everyone around the club: the dressing room, the supporters and the media. Today, the Portuguese coach who has returned to the Spanish capital appears to be a very different man.

A transformed José Mourinho has returned to Madrid. The Portuguese manager looks calmer, more measured and far more composed than during his first spell at the Santiago Bernabéu. He showed that new side of his personality once again on Tuesday during his press conference at Valdebebas, particularly when discussing Spanish referees.

Refereeing has traditionally been a controversial topic around Real Madrid, but Mourinho surprised many by adopting a conciliatory position and expressing his confidence in match officials.

“Before every match, I always trust the referee. After the match? Sometimes there are things I don’t like,” Mourinho admitted, while making it clear that he does not want to begin games questioning the integrity of the officials.

The Portuguese coach went even further when he was asked about the Negreira case, an issue that has generated enormous controversy in Spanish football. Mourinho insisted that he does not believe referees currently working in La Liga should be viewed with suspicion because of the affair.

“I don’t think there is a referee in Spain today who goes onto the pitch thinking that he is Negreira’s friend or that Negreira asked him for a favour years ago. In this matter, I am completely on the side of the honesty of Spanish referees,” Mourinho declared.

Mourinho thanks La Liga

يوم عودة سيّد المُدربين إلى البيرنابيو كمدرب لريال مدريد بعد غياب دام لـ 13 سنة 😢🤍🤍 pic.twitter.com/DjqqeZuytH

— Mourinho World (@JM1World) August 25, 2026

Another unexpected moment came when Mourinho publicly thanked La Liga for agreeing to postpone Real Madrid’s opening league fixture. The decision allowed the Spanish giants an additional week of preparation after the Club World Cup, something Mourinho clearly appreciated.

“I have to thank La Liga, because they showed common sense by giving an extra week to the teams that had many players involved in the World Cup,” he said.

It is a very different tone from the Mourinho Real Madrid supporters remember from his first spell between 2010 and 2013. At that time, his relationship with the Spanish football authorities, referees and sections of the media was frequently tense.

Mourinho himself acknowledged that he has changed significantly over the years.

His “dark side”

The Real Madrid boss explained that experience has helped him control his emotions and react differently to difficult situations.

“For several years now, not just today, I have felt calmer and more in control of my emotions,” Mourinho explained.

However, the Portuguese coach knows that an entire season will inevitably bring difficult moments, controversy and pressure. Those situations could potentially awaken the fiery personality that made him one of football’s most charismatic and divisive managers.

Mourinho even referred jokingly to his famous “dark side”, suggesting that the atmosphere surrounding him at Real Madrid is currently helping him remain calm.

“Maybe the players and the people working here are protecting me from my dark side. But I feel good like this,” he concluded.

Mourinho may have evolved, but his competitive personality remains intact. The difference is that the Real Madrid coach now appears determined to channel that intensity with greater control and experience.