Jose Mourinho refuses to be linked with Real Madrid manager's seat 'soap opera'.

Jose Mourinho has reiterated his stance of not wanting his name dragged into speculation about a return to coaching Real Madrid. The Portuguese coach chooses to distance himself from the rumor mill surrounding the uncertainty of the Los Blancos managerial position.

Mourinho even described the rumors as nothing more than a recurring "soap opera" every time Real Madrid is in a transitional situation. 

He considers such issues to be overblown and irrelevant to his current focus.

"Don't involve me in soap operas. There are many good soap operas, but they last too long. You can miss one or two episodes, then lose the plot. Don't involve me, I don't watch soap operas," Mourinho said as reported by talkSPORT on Tuesday.

Speculation about the Real Madrid manager's seat has indeed heated up again after the Spanish giants decided to part ways with Xabi Alonso. The decision was quite surprising, considering the Spanish coach had only managed the team for seven months.

As a quick step, Madrid's management appointed Alvaro Arbeloa, who previously coached the Castilla team. 

However, in its official announcement, Real Madrid did not mention the duration of Arbeloa's contract, a situation that has sparked various interpretations and further speculation.

This condition opened the door for the media to once again link several big names with Santiago Bernabeu. A number of top European coaches entered the news radar, from Jurgen Klopp to former Chelsea Manager, Enzo Maresca.

Mourinho's name was not spared from the rumor whirlpool. Spanish media mentioned him as one of the options, considering his strong track record with Real Madrid during the 2010 - 2013 period.

During his tenure, Mourinho delivered one La Liga title, one Copa del Rey, and one Spanish Super Cup. 

He also recorded an impressive record by winning 128 out of a total of 178 matches in all competitions, a statistic still often used as a benchmark today.

Nevertheless, Mourinho chooses to focus on his immediate challenge in the Champions League. Mourinho's Benfica will travel to Turin to face Juventus on Thursday, 22 January 2026.