'I don't watch soap operas': Jose Mourinho shuts down Real Madrid comeback links in classic fashion

Real Madrid parted ways with Alonso after a 2-3 defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup. Alvaro Arbeloa was quickly appointed as head coach, but his long-term future remains uncertain beyond the end of the season. As a result, speculation has grown around potential successors, with names such as Zinedine Zidane, Jurgen Klopp and Jose Mourinho frequently mentioned.

Mourinho, now in charge of Benfica, has been cited as one of the leading candidates. However, the Portuguese coach made it clear that a return to Madrid is not on his mind. Speaking to Sport TV, he said: “Don’t count on me for soap operas. There are good soap operas, but they’re very long; you miss one or two episodes and then you lose track. Don’t count on me, because I don’t watch soap operas.”

Mourinho took over at Benfica in September 2025 after Bruno Lage was dismissed following a Champions League defeat to Qarabag. Since then, he has overseen 15 wins from 25 matches, kept the club unbeaten in the Portuguese league and revived hopes of reaching the Champions League play-offs. However, Benfica have recently suffered setbacks in domestic cup competitions, losing the Taça da Liga final to Braga (1-3) and being knocked out of the Taça de Portugal by Porto (0-1).

Real Madrid, meanwhile, have endured a difficult period. They were eliminated from the Copa del Rey after a shock 2-3 defeat to second-division side Albacete. In their next match against Levante, sections of the crowd booed their own players, with Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr. receiving the brunt of the criticism. Madrid did respond on the pitch, securing a 2-0 win to give Arbeloa his first victory as head coach.

After the match, Arbeloa addressed the situation directly: “We didn’t have a good week and the fans have every right to show their dissatisfaction with the players, with the team and with me first and foremost. It’s my first game as Real Madrid coach here at the stadium and what I did as a player is in the past. Now I have to earn it as a coach.

“Those whistles were for everyone, and for me first and foremost because I’m the one in charge, the leader of this team, and the one to blame when things go wrong. I’ve always had a lot of respect for the Bernabéu. I’ve been booed a lot too, and I think one of the reasons this club is so great is because of how demanding our fans are.”

Real Madrid will return to Champions League action against Monaco on 21 January, before hosting Villarreal in La Liga on 25 January.