Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid Return: A Look Back at ‘The Special One’s’ La Liga Debuts

José Mourinho enters his latest Spanish league debut facing a test against Espanyol.

The 2010 Mallorca Stalemate Set a Cautious Tone

According to coverage from El Correo, Mourinho’s Spanish coaching career began on August 29, 2010, at Son Moix. His initial Real Madrid side deployed Iker Casillas, Álvaro Arbeloa, Sergio Ramos, Ricardo Carvalho, Marcelo, Lassana Diarra, Xabi Alonso, Ángel Di María, Sergio Canales, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Gonzalo Higuaín. That opening fixture yielded a scoreless draw against Mallorca.

The performance fell short of expectations set by Pep Guardiola’s dominant Barcelona side at the time. Second-half substitutes included Mesut Özil, Karim Benzema, and Sami Khedira—who now serves on Mourinho’s current coaching staff, as noted by El Correo. Real Madrid’s late attacking surges were repeatedly denied by Israeli goalkeeper Dudu Aouate.

Bouncing Back with a Rout at Zaragoza

As reported by El Correo, Mourinho’s second season opener provided a stark contrast to his debut year. On August 28, 2011, Real Madrid overwhelmed Real Zaragoza 0-6 at La Romareda.

Cristiano Ronaldo netted a hat-trick in that fixture, supported by goals from Marcelo, Xabi Alonso, and Kaká. The starting lineup featured Casillas, Ramos, Carvalho, Pepe, Marcelo, Fábio Coentrão, Xabi Alonso, Di María, Özil, Ronaldo, and Benzema. That resounding victory served as the springboard for the “Liga de los récords,” where Madrid secured the league title with 100 points and 121 goals.

Navigating the First Test Against Espanyol

The manager approaches this campaign following a pre-season featuring five victories and one draw against diverse opponents ranging from lower-tier Spanish sides to European clubs.

As matches transition from friendly exhibitions to competitive fixtures with points on the line, the Portuguese coach aims to establish an immediate competitive standard. Official league fixtures resume this weekend, setting the baseline for the club’s domestic ambitions.