Jose Mourinho returns to Seville’s La Cartuja on Friday, the stadium where his rise to football’s elite began, when Real Madrid face Real Betis in La Liga.
The venue has been adopted by Real Betis since last season while renovation work continues at Benito Villamarin. For Mourinho, however, La Cartuja carries a much deeper significance. It was there that he won his first European trophy with Porto in 2003, laying the foundations for a managerial career that would soon become one of the most decorated in modern football.
Real Madrid also have mixed memories of the stadium. They lifted the Copa del Rey there in 2023 after beating Osasuna, but suffered defeat in their most recent final at the ground, losing to Barcelona in April last year.
Mourinho spent several months in charge of Benfica before making his name at Uniao de Leiria. Porto then appointed him in January 2022, according to the source article, and he immediately began shaping a side built around a group of outstanding players, including Ricardo Carvalho, Costinha, Deco, Dmitri Alenichev, Helder Postiga and Jorge Costa.
That work culminated in Porto winning the UEFA Cup on 21 May 2003. They beat Celtic 3-2 after extra time in a dramatic final that Mourinho later described as a defining moment in his life.
“I remember that match at La Cartuja as the most exciting of my life,” Mourinho said previously.
He will now return to the Seville stadium 23 years later, although this time his role will be different: he will be leading a team into a La Liga fixture between Real Madrid and Real Betis.
The Portuguese coach was reminded of his earlier success when he saw the stadium’s renovated stands. La Cartuja has also undergone changes since that final, including the removal of its athletics track.
Mourinho has another notable memory involving Betis, this time from his spell as Chelsea manager. That match took place at Benito Villamarin in the Champions League and remains the Andalusian club’s most memorable victory in their only previous participation in the competition. Betis have returned to the Champions League this season.
Dani scored the only goal as Betis stunned Chelsea, the wealthy club owned by Russian businessman Roman Abramovich and managed by Mourinho, in 2005.
Real Madrid’s record at La Cartuja is similarly divided. On 7 May 2023, Rodrygo scored twice as they defeated Osasuna 2-1 to win the Copa del Rey. But on 23 April last year, Madrid lost another final to Barcelona, going down 3-2 after extra time when Jules Kounde scored the decisive goal.
Their recent league results at the ground have also been frustrating. Last season, Real Madrid took the lead through Vinicius Junior after 15 minutes, only for Hector Bellerin to score a late equaliser in stoppage time and secure a 1-1 draw for Betis.
Real Madrid have not beaten Betis away from home since 28 August 2021, when Dani Carvajal scored the only goal in a 1-0 victory at Benito Villamarin. Since then, the Andalusian club’s home ground has produced three draws and one Betis win in this fixture.
That record, combined with Mourinho’s personal connection to La Cartuja and Real Madrid’s contrasting history there, gives Friday’s meeting an added layer of intrigue beyond the league contest itself.
