Jose Mourinho has slept at Real Madrid training ground ahead of second spell

Jose Mourinho has stayed overnight at Real Madrid’s training ground on several occasions as he prepares to begin a second spell in charge, according to a report by British newspaper The Athletic.

The Portuguese manager’s decision to sleep at the club’s training base underlines his determination to devote as much time as possible to the work required for his return to Real Madrid.

Sources close to Mourinho told The Athletic that he is highly motivated to start his second coaching tenure with the Spanish club. They said he believes he has an excellent staff around him, as well as the opportunity to work alongside people who were already present in Madrid.

Mourinho also feels he has a strong squad with which to develop the new project, according to the report.

His commitment has reportedly extended beyond the normal working day. On several occasions, he chose to remain overnight at the training complex so he could give sufficient time to all the tasks he wanted to complete.

The report added that Mourinho has become fully familiar with the details of all sections of the club. That approach reflects the way he worked during his first spell at Real Madrid, when he sought to maintain close knowledge of the organisation across its different departments.

Mourinho also stayed at Benfica’s training ground at times during the previous season, according to the same account.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez brought Mourinho back with the aim of ending Barcelona’s domestic dominance over the previous two seasons. The club’s first match of the current campaign is scheduled for Saturday evening, when Real Madrid face Espanyol in La Liga.

The return marks the beginning of another Mourinho project at Real Madrid, with the manager already immersing himself in the club’s daily operations before the competitive action gets under way.