It looks increasingly likely that Jose Mourinho will return to Stamford Bridge at the end of the season and replace interim manager Rafa Benitez.
The Special One may be renowned for his sky-high levels of self-confidence, but the faith he has in his own abilities is matched by the Spaniard. Upon taking the Chelsea job, Benitez would have hoped early success would convince the club’s board to make the appointment permanent. However, the opposition of the fans to his appointment scuppered this ambition. Instead, the 53-year-old must now seek work elsewhere.
Bundesliga club Schalke are one of the clubs rumoured to be interested in hiring the former Liverpool boss. The club are expected to separate with their own interim manager at the end of the season and at first glance they represent an interesting challenge. Schalke are the third biggest team in German football, with a squad already boasting some great players who will, in all likelihood, be playing in the Champions League next season.
However, Benitez may prefer to bide his time and see whether he is in the frame to replace Mourinho in Madrid. Benitez’s spells at Valencia, Liverpool, Inter Milan and Chelsea have seen him collect two La Liga titles, the Champions League, the UEFA Cup and the Club World Cup. Consequently, he may be reluctant to take up the reins at a club some way behind Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich in the battle for trophies in Germany.
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