Can Mourinho restore Real Madrid to former glory?

Elizabeth Conway, Spanish football reporter and John Bennett, broadcaster World Service Jose Mourinho left Real Madrid in 2013 as one of the most celebrated managers in world football. Thirteen years later, the self-proclaimed 'Special One' is back at the Bernabeu, tasked with restoring a club that has had two successive seasons without a trophy. But Mourinho's return raises an intriguing question. Is the 63-year-old still capable of reaching the heights of his past, or has Real Madrid's president Florentino Perez turned to a manager whose best days are behind him? Speaking on the More Than The Score podcast , sources spoke to those who know Mourinho best to assess whether he can make a success of his second spell with Los Blancos. Back for a second spell Mourinho has won only one title since he left Madrid, the Premier League during his second stint at Chelsea in 2015. His subsequent spells at Manchester United, Tottenham, Roma, Fenerbahce and Benfica have produced moments of success in cup competitions, but also considerable turbulence. Spanish football expert Eduardo Alvarez believes Mourinho's appointment came about because club president Perez took inspiration from Carlo Ancelotti's successful second spell at the club. "I think he's betting on a second stint with Mourinho because Ancelotti was successful during his and it's a very similar case," Alvarez told sources. "Ancelotti was coaching Everton, probably not at the top of his game anymore, 60 years old and suddenly, when he went to Real Madrid again, it worked out and he won the Champions League. "Mourinho falls into the category of Real Madrid not being a manager's club but being a player's club. Even though Mourinho is a very prominent manager, the way he manages is not tactically intense, but more player-intense, which is what I believe Florentino needs." 'He's going to need to change the behaviour and attitude of players' But there is a former Real president who believes Mourinho will have to change if he is to succeed. Ramon Calderon, who led the club from 2006 to 2009, has welcomed the appointment, but warned the Portuguese cannot simply recreate the approach of his first spell. "He's going to need to change the behaviour and the attitude of the players," he told sources. "He showed, when he was at Real 13 years ago, a lot of protagonism. He had many problems with clubs, rivals, referees and was always blaming others for the defeats and not taking the responsibility. "I think he has to gain the respect and trust of the players by persuasion, not by imposition. He has to show them that his methods are the best ones for whole team and not have protagonists." After leading Inter Milan to a Serie A, Coppa Italia and Champions League Treble in 2009, Mourinho's first Madrid spell then produced a La Liga title, the Copa del Rey and three successive Champions League semi-final appearances. But it was also marked by fierce rivalries, dressing-room tensions and a highly volatile relationship with the Spanish media. "I hope he can change," added Calderon. "If he insists on the same mistakes, it will be a problem." 'Not every player at Benfica was with him last season' That question of whether Mourinho has changed has also been asked in Portugal, where he spent last season managing Benfica. Portuguese football journalist Duarte Monteiro believes the answer is no. He added: "Mourinho didn't change. His character, his personality didn't change. The problem, I think, for him is that the world changed. "The young players today, the journalists and the environment is different and I think there's not as much openness to embrace him now like maybe there was 20 or 25 years ago, when his character was fresh and new." Monteiro described Benfica's football last season as "not very sexy", with Mourinho adopting a conservative approach and appearing to have different priorities in domestic and European competition. There were still highlights, notably a famous 4-2 victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League group phase before they later lost a play-off tie. But Monteiro said Mourinho's old personality traits remained evident as he added: "He had two or three moments over the season where he was very publicly aggressive towards a group of players. "Not every player at Benfica was with him last season." 'I was impressed, but a bit scared as well' Former Chelsea defender Robert Huth helped Mourinho's side secure back-to-back Premier League title