Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
José Mourinho is preparing for a return to the Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday, 13 years after his first spell as Real Madrid coach.
Los Blancos face Real Sociedad in their second game of the La Liga season.
Asked what kind of reception he expects from the fans, Mourinho played down the occasion, insisting that the focus should be on the team rather than on him.
With his first Bernabéu appearance of the new era just hours away, Mourinho is returning with a familiar competitive edge — but insists he is a different, calmer version of the coach who left Madrid in 2013.
Real Madrid won their opening game of the season 2-1 at Espanyol.
After the game, Mourinho accused opponents and rival crowds of "bullying" Vinicius Jr.
It was a theme he returned to in his media conference on Tuesday.
“Just as young children will push you as far as you allow them to, footballers on the pitch do exactly the same," said Mourinho.
"If they can rough Vini up, if they can put him under pressure both physically and verbally, if they only get a yellow card after committing ten fouls, if they can get close to aggression, they're going to do it.
"Obviously, it’s a treatment I don’t like."
José Mourinho is preparing for a return to the Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday, 13 years after his first spell as Real Madrid coach.
Los Blancos face Real Sociedad in their second game of the La Liga season.
Asked what kind of reception he expects from the fans, Mourinho played down the occasion, insisting that the focus should be on the team rather than on him.
With his first Bernabéu appearance of the new era just hours away, Mourinho is returning with a familiar competitive edge — but insists he is a different, calmer version of the coach who left Madrid in 2013.
Real Madrid won their opening game of the season 2-1 at Espanyol.
After the game, Mourinho accused opponents and rival crowds of "bullying" Vinicius Jr.
It was a theme he returned to in his media conference on Tuesday.
“Just as young children will push you as far as you allow them to, footballers on the pitch do exactly the same," said Mourinho.
"If they can rough Vini up, if they can put him under pressure both physically and verbally, if they only get a yellow card after committing ten fouls, if they can get close to aggression, they're going to do it.
"Obviously, it’s a treatment I don’t like."
