After 13 years, Jose Mourinho is back at Real Madrid again, and task is again the same. To break the stranglehold of Barcelona on La Liga

Last time, when Mourinho joined, Real Madrid, for last two consecutive 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons, lost La Liga to Barcelona despite galactico signings of Christiano Ronaldo and Kaka under two managerial changes of Juande Ramos and Manuel Pellegrini.

This time Real Madrid again has lost La Liga to Barcelona for last two consecutive, 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons, despite galactico signings of Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham under two managerial changes of Xavi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa.

Last time, one of these managers, Manuel Pellegrini, was reported in media, as a progressive and forward thinking, in terms of his playing style, taking minnows Villarreal, to a historic La Liga second place finish and a Champions League semi-final.

This time also, one of these managers, Xavi Alonso, is much reported as a progressive and forward thinking in his playing style, leading a reserve side Real Sociedad B to a historic promotion to Spanish second tier for the first time in 59 years and taking Bayer Leverkusen, struggling in the relegation zone, to their first-ever Bundesliga title without losing a single match and adding the DFB-Pokal to complete an unbeaten domestic double.

Last time Mourinho had the record of whole last season going unbeaten at home in Milan and this time also Mourinho has the record of going whole last season unbeaten at home stadium in Lisbon

Last time, year 2010, was also a FIFA World Cup year like this time, in 2026

So similarities are aplenty between the two times, but there are also stark differences to note.

Last time Mourinho came boasting with records of being Best Coach of the Year 2010, winner of Trebble (Serie A, Copa Italiana, UEFA Champions League) in Itallian history, and winner of 6 league titles, 2 Champions Leagues, and a UEFA Cup in last decade.

This time Mourinho is coming with infamous record of not winning a league title or a major European title, apart from a single, recently created third tier UEFA Conference League for a decade.

Though, in terms of confidence, Mourinho is still the same but he is not so abrasive this time. He is much more mellowed now.

Last time Barcelona was all conquering team and if we say, best team in the world in many decades, we wont be off the mark, too much. This time Barcelon is just a team winning consecutive league titles, nothing more to add to its aura like last time.

Hansi Flick is definitely a very very good coach who led Bayern Munich to a historic sextuple (Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, DFL-Supercup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup) in 2020 and has won consecutive La Liga and Spanish Super Cup and a lone Copa Del Rey for Barcelona but still we would be reluctant to put him in the league of One of the Best Coaches like Pepe Guardiola

So, within so much similarities and differences, what we would expect from Jose is the million dolar question awaits its answer.

"The Objective is not to coach Real Madrid, Objective is to win with Real Madrid", is what Jose answers in his latest instagram post.

Count down starts this Saturday, August 22th, 2026, 11:30 am (GMT), ironically, at RCD Espanyol Stadium, Barcelona Metropolitan Area, the derby rival and antithesis of FC Barcelona.

Like they say, "Either you can love him or loathe him, you cant ignore him, critics are waiting for an epic fall while admirers await an epic redemption and dawn of a new Mourinho era.

Only time will tell who is going to have the last laugh.