Mourinho's Portuguese‑centric overhaul at Real Madrid's Valdebebas

On a bright morning at the Valdebebas training complex, Jose Mourinho stepped onto the Real Madrid pitch, greeted by club president Florentino Pérez. The Portuguese manager’s arrival marked the start of a comprehensive backroom overhaul and signalled a new Portuguese‑centric direction for the first team. Mourinho confirmed he will retain the fitness coach trusted by Florentino Pérez as part of the revamped first‑team setup. This decision underscores the continuity of the president’s preferred training methodology. He also brought his right‑hand man from Benfica, Joao Tralhao, into the Real Madrid coaching team as an assistant. Former Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira joined the Portuguese tactician in the same capacity.

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Mourinho kept trusted collaborators Roberto Merella as performance analyst, Pedro Machado as fitness coach and Nuno Santos as goalkeeping coach. These appointments reinforce the Portuguese‑centric philosophy within the staff. Antonio Pintus, the highly respected Italian, will continue his role after Mourinho personally requested his retention. Both Llopis and Pintus are senior club employees whose contracts were re‑examined on Monday following Florentino Pérez’s January meeting, as reported by Angel Martinez/Getty Images. Luis Llopis will cease to serve as first‑team goalkeeping coach, a position now filled by Santos. The new configuration signals a clear shift in Real Madrid’s operational hierarchy as the Portuguese‑centric staff settles at Valdebebas. It reflects Mourinho’s intent to blend long‑time collaborators with his own trusted circle.