Mourinho rules out Bernabéu comeback: “I’m one of the few who left Real Madrid without being sacked”

Lisbon – Jose Mourinho has delivered the most categorical dismissal yet of speculation linking him with a return to the Real Madrid dug-out, insisting his immediate future belongs to Benfica and that memories of his turbulent yet trophy-laden spell in the Spanish capital remain best left untouched.

Speaking on the eve of Benfica’s Champions League play-off first-leg clash against Los Blancos at the Estádio da Luz, Mourinho used a rare moment of nostalgia to reinforce the finality of his 2013 exit from Madrid.

“I must be one of the few Real Madrid coaches to leave without being sacked,” the Portuguese boss told Diario AS. “When you leave of your own accord, you have nothing to envy. I left with a clean conscience.”

The 62-year-old, who guided Madrid to a Copa del Rey and the 2011-12 La Liga crown during a four-year tenure that also saw him derail Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona, admitted he has not spoken to club president Florentino Pérez since signing a new deal at Benfica last summer.

“The last time was when I signed with Benfica. He told me he was very happy because I had signed for a great club,” Mourinho said, adding that he hopes to greet Pérez in Lisbon on Tuesday night.

Despite an easy-exit clause in his Benfica contract – inserted to protect the club during an ongoing presidential election – Mourinho stressed he will not be pushed into premature departure.

“I have one more year on my contract with Benfica. I don’t want to fuel stories that don’t exist.”

Mourinho, whose combative touchline persona and headline-grabbing press conferences still divide Madrid supporters, offered warm words for interim coach Álvaro Arbeloa, the former defender who stepped in after Xabi Alonso’s exit left the bench short of high-profile candidates.

“I would love to eliminate Real Madrid, but I would really like Arbeloa to win La Liga and stay at Real Madrid for many years, because he has a lot of talent. He’s a true Madridista.”

Tuesday’s encounter sees Kylian Mbappé return to the Madrid squad, while Raul Asencio sits out through suspension. Positive fitness updates have also been provided on Dani Carvajal and Trent Alexander-Arnold, neither of whom featured in the teams’ initial meeting.

Mourinho, however, preferred to keep the spotlight on legacy rather than line-ups.

“I gave everything I had to Real Madrid. I did some things well and some things poorly, but I gave it my all. My feeling after these 12 years with the Madrid fans is the same as my own: they respect me and hold me in high esteem.”

The tie kicks off at 21:00 local time, with the return leg scheduled for the Spanish capital next week.