Mourinho will fight for control at Real Madrid, says Emmanuel Adebayor

Jose Mourinho returned to Real Madrid in June, but Emmanuel Adebayor says he should not expect the unquestioned obedience of his first spell.

His first stint ended over a decade ago, and the dressing room he inherits now looks completely different, with new stars.

Adebayor played under the Portuguese during a loan stint from Manchester City in 2011.

Speaking to Flashscore, he recalled a coach unafraid of confronting big egos, ready to tell players to follow instructions or sit on the bench, even with Ronaldo, Benzema and Higuain in the squad.

Yet the striker feels times have changed. Back then, Mourinho arrived having already won a huge amount, and his ego outweighed everyone else’s. Adebayor, who remains fond of his old manager, admitted the coach has struggled for the last five or six years.

That, he said, has diluted Mourinho’s power. Mbappe will listen out of respect, but not fully, and players who were young during Mourinho’s peak do not truly know his personality.

Even so, Adebayor expects the coach to test the limits of his influence. Real Madrid may be in for a demanding second act at the Bernabeu.