Only when Modric returns will Mourinho have peace of mind at Real Madrid.
Real Madrid is reliving the bleak days of 16 years ago (2009-2010) as they prepare to end their second consecutive season without a trophy, sadly watching their arch-rivals Barcelona prepare to claim the La Liga title for the second year in a row. Faced with this ironic situation, President Florentino Perez seems to be planning to repeat the same move.
The fading glory and power of the younger generation.
In 2010, Real Madrid's management rolled out the red carpet to invite Jose Mourinho to the Bernabeu immediately after the Portuguese strategist reached the pinnacle of glory with a historic treble with Inter Milan. The coach instantly made his mark by winning the Copa del Rey in his first season and brilliantly conquering La Liga in his second.
More importantly, it was the core team structure and the footballing philosophy meticulously crafted by Mourinho that became the solid foundation for Real Madrid to win countless Champions League titles under Carlo Ancelotti and later Zinedine Zidane.
At this point, bringing back the former captain to salvage a demoralized team seems quite logical. However, his standing upon arriving in Madrid has significantly diminished compared to the past.
Mourinho has yet to lead Benfica to any trophies since taking over. The last trophy he lifted was in the lower-tier UEFA Europa Conference League 2022 with AS Roma.
The decline in his reputation has led the media to constantly question whether Mourinho's time is over. More seriously, the "Special One's" coaching style seems to lack respect from today's generation of young, spirited players.
Fans surely haven't forgotten the incident where Vinicius made a provocative celebration during Real Madrid's Champions League match against Benfica this season. Mourinho's subsequent mockery of Vinicius severely damaged the Portuguese manager's standing in the eyes of Madrid's young stars.
At Bernabeu right now, the cooperation and attitude of the players are the crucial factors determining success or failure. The clearest evidence of this is Xabi Alonso's bitter dismissal after only half a season in charge because he couldn't manage the excessive egos of his players.
If Mourinho goes to Madrid alone next season, he might fare even worse than Alonso.
Mourinho currently lacks significant credibility.
The key is Luka Modric.
Looking around the current Real Madrid squad, there isn't a single individual who was Mourinho's favorite or closest protégé, as he left the club 13 years ago. His last remaining pupil there is veteran Luka Modric, who said goodbye to the Spanish capital in the summer transfer window of 2025. Currently, Modric is highly likely to leave AC Milan this summer when his contract expires.
If Real Madrid truly want to bring Mourinho back and hope he can live peacefully in the dressing room, they must find a way to bring Modric back. The relationship between the two is extremely good and close.
It was Mourinho who fought to bring Modric to Bernabeu, and he also stood up to protect and defend the Croatian midfielder during the early days when he faced immense pressure from the Spanish public.
Even now, the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner still possesses extremely high prestige and a very influential voice among younger players like Vinicius and Jude Bellingham. Only with Modric's presence at the club, whether as an assistant coach or a veteran with a voice in the dressing room, does Mourinho have the opportunity to re-establish discipline and implement his tactical plans.
Otherwise, bringing in a strong-willed coach to work with a disgruntled squad will only create chaos and plunge the team deeper into crisis.