Aguirre-Mourinho, old rockers

Aguirre and Mourinho face off again as Valencia manager meets Real Madrid, two veteran coaches with storied histories renewing their rivalry.

Javier Aguirre, the 67-year-old Mexican manager now in his third decade on the sidelines, faces José Mourinho's Real Madrid with Valencia. The two have crossed paths five times before, all during Mourinho's first spell at Madrid between 2010 and 2011.

Aguirre, nicknamed El Vasco for his Spanish heritage, was a notable midfielder before becoming a tactician. He played 59 times for Mexico at the 1986 World Cup and had a brief spell at Osasuna in 1986–87 before a serious leg injury cut short his European adventure. His managerial career has been extensive and successful across clubs including Atlante, Pachuca, Osasuna, Atlético Madrid, Zaragoza, Espanyol, Leganés, Monterrey, Mallorca and now Valencia, plus stints managing Mexico, Japan and Egypt.

In their previous five encounters, Aguirre's record against Mourinho's Madrid stands at two draws (with Espanyol), two defeats (with Zaragoza) and one victory—a memorable 2–3 win at the Bernabéu in the 2010–11 season. Aguirre has faced Real Madrid 27 times across six different clubs since his debut in La Liga in 1996, winning four matches overall.