Real Madrid News
Official: Benfica confirm Real Madrid have paid €15m to bring back Jose Mourinho
Jose Mourinho is set to return to Real Madrid after Benfica officially confirmed that the Spanish giants have completed all procedures required to appoint the Portuguese coach.
The move sees Florentino Perez deliver on one of the biggest promises of his election campaign, with Real Madrid paying €15 million to activate Mourinho’s release clause and secure his return to the Santiago Bernabeu.
As such, Mourinho’s return is expected to generate huge excitement, particularly given the impact he had during his previous stint between 2010 and 2013.
Benfica confirm Mourinho exit
The deal became official after Benfica released a statement confirming that Real Madrid had completed the necessary steps to appoint Mourinho.
A Benfica SAD comunicou à CMVM que o Real Madrid CF formalizou a intenção de contratar José Mourinho pelo valor de 15 milhões de euros, tendo o treinador dado o seu acordo.
— SL Benfica (@SLBenfica) June 9, 2026
Obrigado, José Mourinho. pic.twitter.com/KXZ6niXRWo
The Portuguese club announced, “Benfica SAD has informed the CMVM that Real Madrid CF has formalised its intention to sign José Mourinho for €15 million, with the coach having given his consent.
“Thank you, José Mourinho.”
Real Madrid paid €15 million to trigger the coach’s release clause, allowing him to leave Benfica despite still being under contract until 2027.
While Mourinho becomes the first major addition of the new presidential term, he is not expected to be the last, as further reinforcements are already being lined up as part of Perez’s plans for the squad.
More signings expected
Mourinho arrives with vast experience, a winning pedigree and a strong connection to Real Madrid.
During his first spell, he helped build one of the most competitive teams in Europe and played a key role in challenging Barcelona’s dominance at the time.
The Portuguese coach will arrive knowing that expectations are immediately high and he will be supported by new signings.
So far, Real Madrid have agreed to sign Ibrahima Konate on a free transfer from Liverpool, while Denzel Dumfries has been signed after activating his €20 million release clause.
Despite these additions, more players are expected to arrive this summer.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. admits finishing problem after another frustrating night vs Elche: ‘Can’t miss that much’
Vinicius Jr.’s difficult start in front of goal continued against Elche, and the Real Madrid forward did not need anyone to tell him he had missed another chance to make the difference.
The Brazilian finished the night without a goal despite having chances to get on the scoresheet, while his teammates could only watch from the bench as opportunities went begging.
Jose Mourinho had already identified the problem before kick-off, bluntly pointing to the issue facing his forward, stating, “He’s missing the goal.”
Vini offered an equally frank assessment afterwards.
Rather than hide from another frustrating evening, he accepted responsibility on social media: “The goals will come back; I can’t miss that much…”
Two chances, no finish for Vinicius
Vinicius had two particularly clear openings against Elche, but neither produced the finish Real Madrid needed from their star forward.
The first arrived when he found himself one-on-one with the opposition goalkeeper.
Instead of finding the net, Vinicius caught the ball with the tip of his foot and sent his effort wide. Arda Guler was available during the move and called for the ball, but Vini backed himself to finish the chance.
He had another opportunity after the interval, this time following an excellent pass from Guler during a quick Real Madrid transition. Again, though, Vinicius could not find the target.
His evening ended in the 68th minute, with Mourinho deciding the Brazilian was tired and turning his attention towards Sunday’s Atletico Madrid derby.
Mourinho has a bigger decision to make
The numbers show why Vinicius’ finishing has become a talking point. He managed five shots against Elche, but only one was on target and none found the net.
After seven appearances this season, the Brazilian has scored just once, which is a striking return for a player Real Madrid rely upon to provide a major share of their attacking threat.
Ultimately, though, Real Madrid found another route to victory, with Arda Guler, Kylian Mbappe and Carlos Espi providing the goals in the 3-2 comeback.
