Jose Mourinho’s second spell at Real Madrid begins in Barcelona this weekend in La Liga, although against Espanyol rather than against his and Los Blancos’ bitter rival.

The veteran Portuguese coach returns to the club 16 years after first being appointed but charged with a similar task: deposing Barcelona as the leading club in Spain.

Mourinho is also aiming to restore some of the intensity and attitude that defined his first Madrid reign — from 2010 to 2013 — after two seasons without winning a major trophy steered president Florentino Perez back to him.