Real Madrid‘s coaching plans have moved toward José Mourinho as the club prepares to decide its next manager once the team loses mathematical hope of winning LaLiga, the report said.
Real Madrid have been working on next season’s project since their European knockout against Bayern Munich, with the coaching position the first major decision.
The club will trigger the final hiring process only after LaLiga becomes unreachable, which could happen if Madrid fails to beat Barcelona, according to the report.
Mourinho leads the shortened list because of his relationship with Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez and his previous spell at the Bernabéu.
Pérez views Mourinho’s first Madrid tenure as a foundation for later success at the club, the report said.
Recent dressing-room tension has strengthened support for a hardline profile, with the report citing a physical clash involving Aurélien Tchouaméni and Federico Valverde.
Álvaro Arbeloa still has support inside the club, but poor results and conflicts with players have weakened his position, according to the report.
Real Madrid have also discussed Mauricio Pochettino, Didier Deschamps and Lionel Scaloni as alternatives, while Jürgen Klopp and Zinedine Zidane do not appear realistic options.
The club has not made a final decision, but the report said officials expect to move quickly once a trophyless season becomes official.
