Florentino only has eyes for Mourinho

Barcelona"José Mourinho is the only coach who has earned Florentino's respect". The phrase is often commented on in hallway conversations in Madrid whenever there are problems with the current coach of the white club. And it is that, despite the fact that the Portuguese's record during his time at the Bernabéu was relatively scarce – one League, one Cup and one Super Cup in three seasons – he was one of the few who dared to confront the president and refuse to make the lineups they wanted from the box.

Mourinho left Madrid in 2013 and since then, the whites have won six Champions Leagues in thirteen seasons, the trophy that eluded him while he was on the Madridista bench. But for Florentino's memory, the coach remains 'the special one'. So much so that he has already contacted him to be the coach again and to patch up a club that, despite having made a millionaire investment with the signing of Kylian Mbappé, is living through a second consecutive season without being able to lift any of the major titles at stake.

Florentino is looking for a replacement for Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was urgently appointed to replace Xabi Alonso. Initially, the president had considered names like Didier Deschamps, Antonio Conte, or Jürgen Klopp, but according to reports in Madrid, none of them fully satisfied the president, either due to a lack of financial agreement or the demands they made. There was another candidate, Mauricio Pochettino, who would join after the World Cup. But, despite everything, Florentino prefers to turn his gaze towards Portugal.

However, not everyone in the club's leadership thinks this is the best solution. According to The Athletic, Florentino's closest circle has recommended that he not sign Mourinho, arguing that the Portuguese, at 63 years old, has already had his best moments on the bench and new blood is needed. The coach currently manages Benfica, a club that Madrid precisely defeated in the last match of the Champions League group stage, relegating the Whites to the play-offs. Curiously, they would meet again in the round of 16, where the coin would fall on the Madrid side.

Florentino will meet with Mourinho in Lisbon

Florentino, a man of fixed ideas, has already contacted Mourinho and his representative, Jorge Mendes, and has scheduled a meeting for the coming days in Lisbon, according to Sergio Valentín. The journalist adds that Mou, at first, played ignorant and declined the proposal, although he will finally meet with the president. The signing, salary aside, would be relatively affordable as Mourinho only has a clause of 3 million euros.