Mourinho prepares for another shot at Barcelona

After giving Real Madrid its first title in three years, Jose Mourinho has now toughened his team for the true test of success.

The Portuguese coach finished second to three-time defending champion Barcelona in the Spanish league last year, but he has been quick to point out that his teams start to really come together in the second season under his charge.

For example, FC Porto won the double, and then Chelsea did the same. With Inter Milan, Mourinho went one better, winning the club’s first Champions League title in 45 years to earn a treble with the Italian league and cup.

This season, Mourinho has full control of the team’s infrastructure after general director Jorge Valdano was fired in May, becoming head of football operations with Zinedine Zidane as his right-hand man. He has brought in five players this offseason, but although Fabio Coentrao cost the club ?30 million (?43 million), no household names were added to the team that already includes Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Iker Casillas and Xabi Alonso.

"He’s working his team well from a psychological view," said Carlos Mozer, who worked as an assistant to Mourinho at Benfica in 2000. "When you’re in a war you have to prepare your team to win. And I’m sure he’s working with that in mind."

"He’s preparing his team for war. Ready for war against Barcelona and everyone," the former Brazil international told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.

Madrid president Florentino Perez hired Mourinho from Inter, the only team capable of beating Barcelona in the Champions League under coach Pep Guardiola.

Mourinho doesn’t hide his disdain for the Catalan club where he once worked as an assistant coach but where he is often remembered as “the translator.”

While Madrid beat Barcelona for the Copa del Rey last season—its first domestic cup in 18 years—it finished runner-up in the league for a third straight season and lost the Champions League semifinal series to Barcelona when Mourinho earned a five-match suspension for saying Barcelona received preferential treatment.

Sunday’s El Pais newspaper reported Mourinho even made a reference to the Vietnam war and avenging fallen companions during a locker-room rant during one of the four matches between the the two clubs in April.

While Mourinho has offered few comments about his principal rival going into the new season—"I don’t speak about Barcelona. I speak about my team"—he has made sure to rally his players and even fans to the cause. Mourinho opened up the Santiago Bernabeu stadium to training Saturday ahead of the Spanish Supercup and continuously applauded the 57,000 spectators throughout the 60-minute session. The rivals drew 2-2 Sunday in the first leg.

"That no player leaves this group is fundamental," Mourinho said. "They have more confidence in me. I don’t want to just win the favor of the president, I want us all to be on the same boat together."

Mozer believes that not only have Madrid’s players rallied around their embattled coach but even Perez has fallen under the sway of Mourinho’s abrasive charm.

"When you get to a club it takes time to change that mentality. That’s changing now with Mourinho," said Mozer, who wasn’t surprised by Mourinho’s ease at taking the power reigns at Madrid.

"Someone who doubts the capacity of Mourinho just has to sit down at a table with him and talk about football. After that you will see why things will change at Madrid, Mourinho knows how to do things right. He’s got the capacity, intelligence and organization to do it."

Mourinho sent out a clear message Saturday when asked if he would be more guarded following the UEFA sanction.

"No one will shut me up," Mourinho exclaimed.

Mozer said Mourinho’s tongue was what made him “The Special One,” as Mourinho anointed himself upon arrival at Chelsea.

"These things happen in football and it hurts when you speak the truth. You have to show more calm and restraint. But he’s like that—you can’t change him," Mozer said before dismissing the idea that Mourinho’s aggressive relationship with Barcelona comes down to contempt over “the translator” chant many fans greet him with at the Camp Nou.

"I think he’s too intelligent to fall into the trap of getting wrapped up in that. In his head he probably uses that word in a certain way but he’s too intelligent to fall for it," the Brazilian said. "That doesn’t affect him."

Former Barcelona coach Carles Rexach believes “the translator” remark does provide extra incentive.

"The truth is the press was not very kind to him, they treated him like a translator and I think he feels some resentment for that," Rexach told the AP. "But (being aggressive) is all part of what Madrid wants from him."

Mourinho knows another Copa del Rey triumph will not cut it this season, especially with all the anticipation and expectation that has been created with his arrival. A record 10th European Cup is the top priority, and without that even a first league trophy since 2008 may not be enough.