Not long ago it seemed like Jose Mourinho might be parting company
with Real Madrid, but now the "Special One" has committed to the
newly-crowned Spanish champions until mid-2016.
The club announced on
Tuesday that the Portuguese coach had agreed terms on a new deal, having
moved to the Santiago Bernabeu on a four-year contract in May 2010.
"The manager has won La
Liga and the Copa del Rey, establishing impressive records at the club
and in every championship, therefore prompting his contract to be
extended," Real's website reported.
In January, the 49-year-old was reportedly
considering quitting at the end of this season due to an alleged
dressing-room rift with the team's Spanish contingent and unhappiness at
board level after bad-tempered defeats against bitter rivals Barcelona.
He had been linked with a possible return to England, and such speculation continued after his former club Chelsea won the Champions League for the first time on Saturday under interim manager Roberto di Matteo.
Real Madrid's La Liga triumph
However, his reported
unhappiness at Real appears to be water under the bridge after Los
Blancos ended Barca's three-year La Liga title reign in fine style,
setting records for points and goals scored.
Mourinho became the first
coach to win league titles in England, Italy and Spain, being the first
Portuguese manager to triumph in the latter nation.
He matched Ernst Happel
and Giovanni Trapattoni in winning in four different European countries,
including his own -- only Bela Guttman and Tomislav Ivic have clinched
league titles in more nations.
Mourinho is still seeking
to become the first coach to win the European Champions League with
three different clubs, having already done so with Porto in 2004 and
Inter Milan in 2010.
He took Real Madrid to the semifinals last season for the first time since 2003, and also won the Spanish Cup.
This season brought more European disappointment, losing to Bayern Munich in the semis after a penalty shootout, but there was consolation on the domestic front as Real finished nine points clear of Barca.
Mourinho's star player Cristiano Ronaldo told CNN last week that he thinks his compatriot is the best coach in the world.
"This is why he wins the
titles that he won. Because for me, not just because I work with him,
but he's the best because of what he does: the tactics, everything
around the players, the motivation ... and you know, the titles speak
for themselves," Ronaldo said.
"He won in every country
that he's passed, so I think that's great. I think nobody ... two or
three coaches do that in their lives, so we have to appreciate that."
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