After defeating Real Madrid, Mourinho is linked to two special destinations

Jose Mourinho is currently being mentioned by experts as a candidate for a shocking comeback at Real Madrid, following his "miraculous night" in the Champions League.

"The Special One," aged 63, masterminded an incredible victory against his former club in the early hours of yesterday. Benfica was leading Real Madrid 3-2 in the final seconds, with the Spanish giants down to nine men on the pitch, yet the Portuguese side still needed one more goal to secure a playoff spot.

In the last free-kick situation of the match, Mourinho sent goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin forward to join the attack. And the unbelievable happened: the tall goalkeeper leapt high to head a cross from Fredrik Aursnes, sending the ball like a "bullet" past Thibaut Courtois, sparking wild celebrations at the Da Luz stadium. With Benfica ranked 24th and Real Madrid 9th in the standings, the two teams could potentially face each other again in the Champions League playoff round.

However, according to AS (Spain), Mourinho might make a longer-term return to Bernabeu this summer. Sources reveal that the Portuguese coach likely has “two major opportunities” ahead. One of them is Real Madrid, and the other comes from the Portugal national team. If it happens, this would be Mourinho’s first job at the national team level.

Nevertheless, the head coach position of Portugal's national team will only become available if Roberto Martinez disappoints at this summer’s World Cup. Even Mourinho was stunned by goalkeeper Trubin’s breakthrough moment. After defeating Real Madrid for the first time in their seventh encounter, he shared on Spanish television: “I think we truly deserved this victory, absolutely deserved it.”

This result may have saved Mourinho’s job at Benfica, where the team currently sits third in the domestic league. Despite remaining unbeaten in the league, Benfica has drawn six matches and trails Porto by 10 points in the standings.

Previously, during his tenure at Real Madrid from May 2010 to May 2013, Mourinho helped the club win 1 La Liga title, 1 Copa del Rey, and 1 Spanish Super Cup. He achieved a 72% win rate with Real Madrid, second only to Manuel Pellegrini’s 75% in the 2009/10 season.

According to Spanish media, many Real Madrid fans are eager for Mourinho’s return, and the rumors at Bernabeu that he “is not the right choice” might take a completely different turn after Benfica’s outstanding recent performance.