Los Blancos will face Inter, PSV, RB Leipzig, LASK, Arsenal, Roma, Shakhtar Donetsk and AEK Athens in the league phase, but three names immediately stand out when looking back at Mourinho’s career: Inter, Roma and Arsenal.
Mourinho Will Have a Champions League Full of Reunions
The 2026-27 UEFA Champions League will have an extra special element for José Mourinho. The draw placed Real Madrid against several teams that form part of the Portuguese coach’s history, although not all of these matchups can necessarily be considered revenge.
Against the two Italian clubs, it will be a return to places where he was happy. Against Arsenal, however, memories will return of one of the rivalries that defined his years in England.
Inter, Where Mourinho Reached the Top
Talking about Mourinho and Inter means talking about one of the greatest periods of the Portuguese coach’s career.
In the 2009-10 season, Mou led the Nerazzurri to a historic treble: the Serie A, Coppa Italia and UEFA Champions League. That campaign ultimately cemented his status as one of the most important coaches of his generation.
That Champions League run was particularly unforgettable. Inter eliminated Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona in the semifinals before defeating Bayern Munich in the final, which was played at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Now Mourinho will face Inter once again, but this cannot exactly be described as a revenge match.
It will be a reunion with one of the clubs where he reached the pinnacle of his career.
Roma, Another Special Place for Mou
The situation is similar with Roma.
Mourinho arrived at the Italian club in 2021 and brought European glory back to the team by winning the UEFA Conference League in 2022. It was Roma’s first international trophy in decades and a triumph that strengthened the connection between the Portuguese coach and the supporters.
His time at the club ended in 2024, but Mourinho has never hidden the affection he still has for Roma.
In fact, the Portuguese coach has acknowledged that he was happy during his time in Rome, meaning that facing the Giallorossi again will carry a much more sentimental element than simply seeking revenge.
Inter and Roma represent two different chapters of his career, but both have something in common: they were places where Mourinho won and left his mark.
Arsenal Rekindle an Old Rivalry
With Arsenal, the story is completely different.
During his spells in charge of Chelsea, Mourinho turned matches against the Gunners into some of the most intense encounters in the Premier League. His rivalry with Arsène Wenger went far beyond what happened on the pitch.
There were comments, confrontations and enormous tension between the two managers. For Mourinho, beating Arsenal always carried special significance.
The numbers were also on the Portuguese coach’s side during that rivalry. In his first 14 meetings with Wenger’s Arsenal, Mourinho remained unbeaten, recording eight victories and six draws.
This time, Wenger will not be there, and neither will Chelsea.
But Mourinho will.
And there is also unfinished business for Real Madrid. Two seasons ago, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal emphatically eliminated Los Blancos from the Champions League quarterfinals with a 5-1 aggregate victory.
A Champions League Full of Memories for Mourinho
The league phase will present Madrid with eight different challenges, but some will inevitably carry greater emotional significance.
Against Inter, Mourinho will reunite with the club where he won the treble.
Against Roma, he will face the team he led to the Conference League title and a fan base with whom he built a special connection.
And against Arsenal, memories will return of those battles in England that helped shape Mourinho’s competitive persona.
Not all of them will be revenge matches.
Some will be returns to places where he was happy, while others will revive old rivalries.
But they will all have one thing in common: José Mourinho will once again come face-to-face with a part of his own history in the UEFA Champions League.
