Report: Pérez eyes Deschamps if Mourinho fails, and the Clásico is the test

By the Data Desk · Published 19 OCT 07:30

First reported by SPORT, citing Sergio Valentín (Fútbol esRadio) on X · 18 OCT 17:10

Four months after giving José Mourinho a contract to 2029, Florentino Pérez has already told people close to him who would replace him, according to Sergio Valentín: "Se trata de Didier Deschamps." SPORT picked up the report on Saturday and gave an example of what "not working" could mean: no positive result in the Clásico at Camp Nou on 25 October.

• Valentín, who hosts Fútbol esRadio and was early on Mourinho's return, posted on X on 18 October that Pérez has a replacement in mind "si la cosa no mejora"; the club has not commented.
• Real Madrid are third in LaLiga with 21 points from nine games, six behind Barcelona (27, nine wins from nine) and one behind Atlético.
• Deschamps is out of work since France finished fourth at the 2026 World Cup; Zinedine Zidane replaced him in July.

Behind the scenes, the report is short and conditional. Valentín wrote that Pérez "ha contado a su círculo más cercano que ya tiene pensado el sustituto de José Mourinho si la cosa no mejora", and named Deschamps. SPORT, which credits Valentín with breaking the Mourinho return, adds that Deschamps was already on the shortlist during Pérez's election campaign in June, when coaches still working at the World Cup were left out. Bernabéu Digital, also reporting Valentín's information, wrote that "en estos momentos la marcha de Mourinho no se contempla como algo realista".

Contracts at this club have been short lately. Xabi Alonso signed for three seasons in 2025 and left after 232 days, in January 2026, by what the club called mutual agreement, days after losing the Supercopa final to Barcelona. Álvaro Arbeloa, his replacement, left in May after a season without a trophy. Mourinho was appointed on 11 June until 30 June 2029, and Madrid paid Benfica a €15 million release fee to get him.

On the pitch, the start is not a crisis. Madrid have won seven of nine league games and beat Sevilla 4-1 at the Bernabéu on Sunday, with Arda Güler, Kylian Mbappé twice (once from the penalty spot) and Yan Diomande scoring. Both defeats came away to sides now in the top four: 1-0 at Betis on 4 September and 2-1 at Atlético on 20 September.

There is history between the two coaches too: Mourinho's Porto beat Deschamps' Monaco 3-0 in the 2004 Champions League final. What happens next: Barcelona visit PSG on Tuesday, Madrid host RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Wednesday at 21:00 Madrid time, and the Clásico is on Sunday 25 October at 21:00 in Spain (20:00 UTC).