In June 2010 Florentino Perez, ambitious president of Spanish giants Real Madrid, brought in the world's most expensive and controversial coach, Jose Mourinho, in order to end the domestic domination of Barcelona.
Perez knew that Mourinho would cost him a packet, in terms of
salary for him and his troop of assistants, as well as transfer fees,
and this is exactly what has happened.
He also knew that the Portuguese "Man of War" would ruffle a few
feathers both in Madrid and in Barcelona - and he has certainly done
that.
Perez also knew that Mourinho would demand more power within the
club than any previous coach had been given. When these demands were
made, a year ago, Perez quickly complied, sacking general director
Jorge Valdano, Mourinho's internal enemy.
According to media reports, Perez has been exasperated with
Mourinho's endless demands, with his persistent threats to leave -
and with his countless scuffles with Valdano, the media and referees.
However, Perez was prepared to put up with all of this "sturm und
drang" in order to end Barcelona's reign, and on Wednesday this
objective was finally achieved when Mourinho guided Cristiano Ronaldo
and company to a 3-0 romp at Athletic Bilbao - and Real's first Liga
title since 2008.
It was the whites' 32nd league title, and left them 11 ahead of
Barca.
It has been achieved on a flood of goals, with Mourinho laying to
rest his label as a defensive coach by establishing a new Spanish
record of 115 goals, 44 of them put away by the remarkable Ronaldo.
The "Mou Team", as Ronaldo and company are known, might also
establish a new Liga points record. If they win their last two games
- away to Granada and at home to Mallorca - they will be the first
Spanish team to reach the previously considered impossible total of
100 points.
Mourinho has managed to build a fast, young, physically strong
team capable of soaking up pressure for long periods - then of
hitting back powerfully and incisively on the break.
The spine of this team has been goalkeeper Iker Casillas - in
excellent form despite his allegedly poor relations with Mourinho -
centre-backs Pepe and Sergio Ramos, midfield anchorman Xabi Alonso
and Ronaldo, winning games almost single-handedly with his
astonishing bursts and drives.
Add to the mix four elegant artists like Marcelo, Mesut Oezil,
Angel di Maria and Karim Benzema, plus hard-working artisans like
Alvaro Arbeloa, Sami Khedira and Gonzalo Higuain, and the end result
is a sharp side capable of winning almost at ease in places like
Bilbao, Osasuna, Malaga, Mallorca, Valencia, Atletico Madrid and,
most importantly, Barcelona.
"Never before in Spain," commented Radio Marca early on Thursday,
"has a team been so effective away from home, silencing the hostile
crowds with a mass of goals."
The April 21 2-1 win at Barca virtually guaranteed Real the title,
and saved them from having to endure a nail-biting. It also -
according to sports dailies AS and Marca - convinced Barca coach Pep
Guardiola that his reign was over, and that it was time to step down.
On Monday Guardiola denied that Real's impending triumph was a
factor in his decision to stand down. However, the prospect of having
to face Mourinho's keen team at least four times next season - twice
in La Liga and twice in the Super Cup - could hardly have been an
attractive proposition for him.
The only negative element on Real's balance sheet this season was
their failure to reach the final of the Champions League. As Casillas
admitted on Wednesday, "the only pity has been what happened in the
Champions."
Ronaldo and company were 2-0 at home to Bayern Munich in the
semi-final second leg on April 25, only to let the Bavarians back
into the game and eventually crash out on penalties.
Mourinho's old defensive, cautious instincts seemed to betray him
that night. Instead of going all out for what would have been a
killer third goal, Real went backwards after taking the lead - and
paid a heavy price for their conservatism.
