Jose Mourinho’s return to Real Madrid had already been under way for several weeks, but the club made it official ⁠with a bizarrely understated ceremony at their training centre.

The second coming of the self-appointed “Special One”, as Mourinho dubbed himself when appointed Chelsea manager in 2004, is loaded with nostalgia, risk and unfinished business.

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The Portuguese manager, who began work with the squad when preseason started on July 10, signed a ⁠contract until June 2029 in the boardroom of Ciudad Real Madrid alongside club President Florentino Perez and honorary President Jose Martinez Pirri.

For a club accustomed to spectacle, the silence was almost the statement.

Galacticos – as Los Blancos have dubbed their star players over the years like Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham and Zinedine Zidane – are often paraded like celebrities, as are new managers.

Real, however, are heading into the new La Liga season after two consecutive years without a trophy while Perez, recently re-elected but far from ‌the untouchable figure of old, is facing growing scrutiny from an impatient fanbase.

Mourinho framed his return as something more significant than a job.

“This is coming home. Emotionally, it’s even better than the first time because back then it was a feeling of reaching the very top of the world, whereas now it’s more emotional and heartfelt,” Mourinho told the club’s official television channel in the unusual presentation away from the fanfare and spotlight.

“I’m one of you. I always have been, and you can imagine what it means to me to work for Real ⁠Madrid. This is a maxim that everyone must follow: working for Real Madrid, ⁠which means working for you.”

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Mourinho previously managed Real from 2010 to 2013, winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup during a combustible spell that brought silverware, confrontation and a lasting imprint on the club.

Now he returns from Benfica ⁠after Perez oversaw one of Real’s most aggressive transfer windows in years, bringing in Yan Diomande, Marc Cucurella, Bernardo Silva, Ibrahima Konate, Denzel Dumfries and ⁠Carlos Espi and inking a long-awaited multiyear contract extension for winger Vinicius ⁠Jr.

The new signings are also expected to be presented privately in the coming days, following the same closed-door format used for Mourinho.

The approach reflects a club intent on shielding themselves before Saturday’s La Liga opener against Espanyol in Barcelona.

Mourinho said his task was not personal ‌glory but rebuilding standards.

“Words aren’t enough … because it’s like a mission,” he said. “I’m here to help everyone be better, players, staff, … to create a culture of hard work, responsibility, ambition and something I know ‌well, ‌which is the responsibility and honour of working for Real Madrid.”

Mourinho returns with plenty to prove after 11 years without a league title and four without a trophy. Should he stop Barcelona from winning a third straight La Liga title or win his first Champions League as a Real manager, then this could well be one of his most special achievements.