The Special One, part two

Chelsea confirmed on Monday that it had appointed Jose Mourinho for a second stint at the club, following his acrimonious departure in 2007.

That Mourinho would leave Real Madrid had become an effective certainty, mostly owing to the 50-year-old's own public comments, and he said on Sunday that he would be announcing a Chelsea return this week.

"I am delighted to welcome Jose back to Chelsea. His continued success, drive and ambition made him the outstanding candidate," club chief executive Ron Gourlay said in a statement on the Chelsea website. "It is our aim to keep the club moving forward to achieve greater success in the future and Jose is our number one choice as we believe he is the right manager to do just that."

Chelsea, Europa League champions this season and Champions League winners last time out, have had more of a struggle domestically in the English Premier League against Manchester clubs City and United.

Mourinho has won two of the club's four top division league titles, taking the crown in 2005 and 2006 during his first stay in the British capital, where he built up an expensive super team using Russian owner Roman Abramovich's fortune.

Twenty titles across four countries

Mourinho had first caught Chelsea's eye a decade ago by winning back to back league titles and both top continental club competitions in two seasons with the comparatively modestly-funded Portuguese side FC Porto.

In his most recent post, he won the top division with Real Madrid in 2012, breaking Barcelona's stranglehold on Spanish silverware.

In between his Chelsea and Madrid stints, the Portuguese "Special One" guided Inter Milan to a 2010 "treble" of the Serie A league title, Italy's domestic cup and the Champions League.

After the weekend season finale, a 4-2 Real win over Osasuna in Madrid, Mourinho said he felt at home in London and wanted to return.

"I feel the people there love me and in life you have to look for that," he said. "Life is beautiful and short and you must look for what you think is best for you."

Another treble-winner in Madrid picture?

Mourinho's departure could theoretically open the door for an ex-Real Madrid manager's return. Outgoing Bayern Munich boss, himself a freshly crowned treble-winner, Jupp Heynckes has been linked with a return to the Spanish capital. Heynckes won the 1998 Champions League with Madrid, the next day the club announced that they were replacing him. Both times that the 68-year-old has won Europe's top competition, he has also lost his job - this time with ex-Barcelona mastermind Josep 'Pep' Guardiola replacing him at Bayern.

Spanish sports daily AS on Monday ran a Real Madrid-themed cover. Tottenham and Wales winger Gareth Bale was the chest-pumping lead picture, complete with a mooted 100-million-euro ($131 million) price tag. Below that was a mention of Liverpool star Luis Suarez, priced by AS at 45 million.

In the bottom left of their spread, however, lay a reminder that Jupp Heynckes had promised word on his future on Tuesday.