The return of Mourinho
José Mourinho is back at Real Madrid thirteen years after leaving Spanish football. Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez brought him back to lead the team after two seasons without any silverware. Predecessors Xabi Alonso and Álvaro Arbeloa struggled to manage the dressing room, so Pérez turned back to Mourinho.
In his August news conference, Mourinho insisted he does not dwell on the past. He stated that he is not one for regrets or missing things. Yet, his previous three year stint between 2010 and 2013 created intense memories. Over 17 matches against Barcelona in LaLiga, the Copa del Rey, the Spanish Supercopa, and the Champions League, his record stood at five wins, six draws, and six defeats.
Highs and lows against Barcelona
Mourinho's initial clash with Barcelona in November 2010 was a 5-0 defeat at Camp Nou, which he called historically bad. David Villa scored twice that day as Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernández, Andrés Iniesta, and Sergio Busquets controlled the match.
The rivalry grew more intense later that season when the teams played four times in 18 days. Former defender Marcelo described that run as really strange and not good for football. During that stretch, Real Madrid won the Copa del Rey final at Mestalla thanks to a 103rd minute header from Cristiano Ronaldo off an Ángel Di María cross. However, Barcelona knocked Madrid out of the Champions League semifinals 3-1 on aggregate after a bad tempered tie. Mourinho received a five match UEFA ban following his post match comments.
Title success and touchline drama
Tensions reached another high in August 2011 during the Spanish Supercopa. Barcelona won 5-4 on aggregate, and Mourinho poked Tito Vilanova in the eye during a touchline brawl, an incident he later apologized for.
Despite the friction, Mourinho delivered trophies. In the 2011 to 2012 season, Messi scored a record 50 league goals, but Madrid still won the title with 100 points. A 2-1 victory at Camp Nou in April 2012, featuring Ronaldo's famous calma celebration, put Madrid seven points clear with four games left. That win sealed Real Madrid's first league title in four years. Now, Mourinho faces Barcelona again on Sunday.
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