Federico Valverde is looking forward to working under legendary coach Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid next season.
Mourinho was reappointed as head coach of the record European champions earlier in the summer, after they paid a compensation to allow him leave his role at Portuguese side Benfica.
The former Chelsea coach was previously at the club between 2010 and 2013 and won the league title in 2012, but has now returned as Real Madrid aim to end Barcelona’s dominance in the Spanish league.
Real Madrid endured a difficult campaign last season and the club dismissed Xabi Alonso earlier in the year, before Alvaro Arbeloa took over on an interim role until the end of the season.
Arbeloa has since left the club, with Mourinho coming in ahead of the 2026-27 season and Valverde, who has now become club captain after the departure of Dani Carvajal, is eager to work together with his new coach.
“I’m eager to learn from him, listen to every piece of advice he gives me, and get the most out of every second of every training session I share with him and his coaching staff”, Valverde said.
“I’m want to grow as a person and as a footballer. He’s a special person from whom I can learn a lot. I hope it’s a great season.”
Real Madrid have been very busy in the transfer window and have already signed the likes of Marc Cucurella and Denzel Dumfries from Chelsea and Inter Milan respectively.
Los Blancos have also signed Ibrahima Konate and Bernardo Silva on a free transfer at the club and are already working on adding highly rated teenager Yan Diomande to their squad ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Mourinho’s men will begin their La Liga campaign against Espanyol on August 22, with the Portuguese looking to start the season on a good note.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
