Real Players Against Mourinho Return

Former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon has revealed that senior players were against Jose Mourinho’s possible return as coach.

Zinedine Zidane’s second spell in charge of Los Blancos was confirmed on Monday, with the France World Cup winner penning a deal to coach the club until 2022.

However, Mourinho had been linked with the post after parting company with Manchester United in December and Bernabeu fans chanted his name after last week’s Champions League exit to Ajax.

It seems as though player power won the day, with Calderon suggesting that the Portuguese tactician brings to much baggage with him. “The dressing room leaders pushed to reject the possibility of Jose Mourinho,” he told Sky Sports. “He left a lot of problems and I think he would have been another problem to the ones we already have if he had come. “I think Jose Mourinho would have been a step backwards, there was a lot of problems and controversy when he was here. “He is a good coach with a lot of trophies but many of the leaders in the dressing room didn’t like him and I think that was important in the decision-making.”