Jose Mourinho responds to Real Madrid return rumours in typically blunt fashion

Jose Mourinho was Real Madrid manager between 2010 and 2013 and has been linked with a move back to the Spanish giants, who are reeling after the sacking of Xabi Alonso

Jose Mourinho has brushed off rumours that he could make a sensational return to Real Madrid following the sacking of Xabi Alonso. The ex-Liverpool midfielder was dismissed on Monday after tensions behind the scenes at the Spanish giants.

Alonso only arrived in the summer following a successful spell at Bayer Leverkusen, but the appointment never worked out and he was sacked after losing the Spanish Super Cup against Barcelona on Sunday.

He has been replaced by his former team-mate at Liverpool, Real and Spain, Alvaro Arbeloa, but that hasn't stopped the rumour mill from churning. Mourinho was in charge at the Real between 2010 and 2013 and is still respected by club president Florentino Perez.

The Portuguese boss is now managing Benfica in his home country after a spell at Fenerbahce. And it seems he is not interested in returning to the Spanish capital any time soon.

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"Don't count on me for soap operas," he said cryptically when asked about the reports. "There are good soap operas, but they're very long. You miss one or two episodes and then you lose track. Don't count on me, because I don't watch soap operas."

Arbeloa was promoted from his role as the manager of Real's reserve team to replace Alonso, but started disastrously with a defeat against Albacete in the Spanish Cup. That result has only heightened speculation that he could be replaced with a big-name boss, perhaps at the end of the season.

"At this club a draw is bad, a tragedy, so imagine a defeat like this. It's painful, especially against a lower division team. Obviously we have to improve," Arbeloa said after the result.

"I'm responsible, I take the decisions: the team, how we want to play, the substitutions. We'll try to recover our morale and physically, and improve for the game on Saturday [against Levante in LaLiga].

“If people want to describe this as a failure I'd understand it. For me, failure lies on the way to success. ... I don't fear that word. I've failed a lot in my life, I've suffered defeats in cups, I'm excited about getting to Valdebebas tomorrow and working with the players, to [play] much better on Saturday."

They responded with a 2-0 win over Levante, which brought Real within a point of Barcelona at the top of La Liga ahead of their trip to play Real Sociedad on Sunday evening.

Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who is now working for Red Bull, is the favourite with the bookies to become the next Real boss, with England manager Thomas Tuchel and Enzo Maresca, who was sacked by Chelsea on New Year's Day, the others on the list.

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