“No Trophies Is Not Success” – Mourinho Begins Mission To Restore Real Madrid

Jose Mourinho’s Press Conference 

Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan reunion is first true test of his Real Madrid return. Perez credits Mourinho for Real Madrid's success as coach returns to face inter.

“My attraction to Real Madrid is due to its history, its frustrations in recent years and its expectations to win...”

Jose Mourinho’s return to face Inter will see his Real Madrid side put to its first real test.

Mourinho departed Inter for Real Madrid in the summer of 2010, right after guiding the Italians to Champions League success and riding the high of his career.

Mourinho delivered a historic treble with Inter. He secured the Serie A title in the final week and also won the Coppa Italia.

Inter defeated Bayern 2-0 in the Champions League final at Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu. It was their first European crown since 1965 and made them the first Italian club to complete the treble.  

  

Mourinho hinted the final would be his last game in charge of Inter. About a week later, his move to Real Madrid was confirmed.  

Mourinho returns to the Bernabeu dugout for Madrid’s Champions League opener against Inter on Tuesday. It marks 16 years since he left Inter, and the start of the campaign for Europe’s record 15-time winners.

Neither Mourinho nor Inter have matched that European high since 2010.

Inter have made two more finals since then, losing to Manchester City in 2023 and suffering a heavy defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the 2025 final.  

The 63-year-old won the Europa League with Manchester United in 2017 and added the Conference League with Roma five years later.  

Mourinho tasked with ending Real Madrid's trophy drought

“Finishing without trophies is not success.” Brought back from relative obscurity by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez this summer, Mourinho arrives after Los Blancos endured two seasons without silverware. His key job is to put the club back on top of Europe.  

Only five managers in history have more Champions League titles than Mourinho. He first won it with Porto in 2004, a triumph that launched him to Chelsea and the elite of European football.  

“My attraction to Real Madrid is due to its history, its frustrations in recent years and its expectations to win,” Mourinho declared on joining in 2010. The same reasons apply today, with Madrid seeking to recover after their remarkable run of titles finished.

Mourinho’s first reign saw him disrupt Guardiola’s all-conquering Barcelona domestically. However, the 10th Champions League title still eluded Madrid.

That 10th title eventually arrived with his successor Carlo Ancelotti. The Italian has won three Champions Leagues with Madrid across two spells in charge.

Zidane delivered a historic three-peat in Europe. Those victories were part of Madrid’s six Champions League triumphs in just 10 years.

Perez says Mourinho laid the groundwork for Madrid’s later European success.  

Mourinho played down his role: “I'm glad my work had some positive impact, but the titles belong to Carlo, Zidane, the players, and the fans.”

Madrid’s dominance in Europe has faded over the past two seasons. They went out to Arsenal in the 2025 quarter-finals, and last year Bayern Munich knocked them out in the last 16.

Now Mourinho’s task is to show he and Real Madrid can still compete at the very top of Europe, and to stop Luis Enrique’s PSG from winning a third straight title.

Back in August, Mourinho laid it out plainly: “Finishing without trophies at Real Madrid is not a successful season.” 

Mourinho’s return to Madrid began perfectly with three straight wins. That run ended on Friday with a 1-0 loss at Real Betis, their first defeat of the season.

📋✅ Our squad for the match!
🆚 @Inter_en pic.twitter.com/bwxstFOtOd

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) September 8, 2026

Inter’s trip to the Spanish capital will be an early examination of whether Mourinho can turn Madrid’s European form around against the team he last won the Champions League with.