Club president Florentino Perez is convinced Jose Mourinho is the right man to take Real Madrid back to the summit of Spanish and European football (check out ante-post football betting opportunities on totesport.com).
Spain’s big-spending capital club opened the door to appointing the much-decorated Portuguese coach when they announced they had sacked Manuel Pellegrini on Wednesday.
Now all that remains is for two-time Champions League winner Mourinho to resolve his contract negotiations with Internazionale before he sets about arguably the biggest task of his distinguished managerial career.
The 47-year-old is under contract in Milan until June 2012 but that is unlikely to prevent him from becoming Madrid’s 11th manager in seven years.
“The change of coach is always difficult, but we are convinced that after this first year and this first phase, now is the moment to give a fresh impulse to our project,” said Perez.
“I am absolutely convinced that the incorporation of Mourinho, who is one of the best coaches in the world – if not the best – is an opportunity that, in this Madrid, which fights permanently for excellence, we couldn’t let pass us by.”
Real have again had to play second-fiddle to great rivals and champions Barcelona this season and were knocked out of the Champions League at the last-16 stage for the sixth season running – despite a 250million-euro spending spree on new players this time last year.
They have now won just two major trophies in the last seven years and not even the likes of marquee signings Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Karim Benzema and Xabi Alonso could inspire them to silverware last season
Perez acknowledged Real have lost valuable ground in the race for major honours and hopes Mourinho will restore some order.
He added: “This club demands the maximum and is always in search of excellence.
“We have reflected a lot on this season. It’s not just not winning a title. We consider that we are in a suitable moment to bet on one of the best coaches in the world, and the opportunity to bring him to the club is there.”
On paper, there appears no other candidate with the profile and magnetism of Mourinho to transform Real’s fortunes.
This season he guided Serie A giants to an unprecedented treble of Serie A, Coppa Italia and Champions League titles.
The former Porto and Chelsea boss has made no secret of his desire to take over at the Bernabeu and all the evidence suggests his dream is about to be realised.
He met with Inter’s finance director Rinaldo Ghelfi in Milan earlier on Wednesday and afterwards told reporters: “Now I am on holiday, then I will go and work in Spain.”
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