When José Mourinho sets foot in Santander again, a few things will feel familiar. Among them is the Hotel Real, where Real Madrid stayed during his first spell at the club, having taken over what had previously been Racing Santander’s team hotel. He will stay there again, enjoying the magnificent view of the bay from his balcony. But when he arrives at El Sardinero, he may recognize little beyond the fact that he once took Sergio Canales under his wing and helped unleash Canalesmania. The stadium looks much the same as it did in 2011, the year of his last visit, but almost everything inside has changed. From the colorful sign overlooking the Cantabrian ground, now free of tattered flags, to the vibrant atmosphere in the stands and the people driving Racing’s renewed ambitions.

Mourinho will probably have heard something about the achievements of Racing coach José Alberto López. But most of the players’ names will mean little to him until he reads the detailed scouting report prepared by his staff. To put things in perspective, Asier Villalibre was just entering Athletic Club’s under-16 setup when Mourinho last visited this corner of northern Spain. Of the Racing side he last faced, he might encounter Pedro Munitis in a tracksuit before kickoff. The former player is now the club’s head of methodology.

The other opponents from those encounters whom Mourinho might recognize have also hung up their boots, with several now working behind the scenes at Racing. Julián Luque is the general manager, tasked with ensuring the club’s money doesn’t disappear again. José Picón oversees youth development alongside Gonzalo Colsa, while Mario Fernández and Pablo Pinillos work with Edu Bedia on the club’s international expansion project. Pablo Álvarez and Moratón, now members of the coaching staff, had already left by the Mourinho era. Of the Racing players who faced The Special One, only Cristhian Stuani is still going strong at Girona. That leaves stadium official Delfín Calzada as perhaps the most recognizable face, having been at Racing for almost as long as the club’s crest itself.

And that’s just the sporting side. If Mourinho glances toward the stands, he will find an atmosphere completely different from the gloomy mood that surrounded his previous visits. After so many years of struggle, renewed optimism and promotion have energized the home supporters, with the Gradona de los Malditos supporters’ group leading the charge.

The VIP box has changed beyond recognition, too. Gone is the mayor who once watched him with curiosity, former government minister Íñigo de la Serna. Gone, too, is former Cantabrian president Miguel Ángel Revilla, who used to boast of sharing Mourinho’s outspoken tendencies. Nor will he encounter the late board member Marcano, a devoted Madrid supporter who practically worshipped him.

And if the political landscape has changed, the club’s management has undergone an even greater transformation. Francisco Pernía is long gone after leaving behind a financial black hole and insolvency proceedings, while Ali Syed remains nowhere to be found – his natural habitat, it seems. The former owner attended Racing’s game against Real Madrid in April 2011, waving his scarf right under Florentino Pérez’s nose as a distinctly unimpressed Fernández Tapias looked on.

But by the time the teams met again that September, in the following season, Syed had already disappeared, making a hasty exit. He left behind a mountain of debt and a string of broken promises, including his pledge to pay all outstanding wages on time.

Even in the mixed zone, Madrid’s coach might experience the psychological phenomenon known as jamais vu, the opposite of déjà vu. It describes the unsettling sensation of something once deeply familiar suddenly seeming completely strange, unknown or unreal.

One face Mourinho should recognize in the stadium corridors is Enrique Palacio, Racing’s press officer for the past two decades, who keeps order in the mixed zone. But he might be surprised to see Roberto González directing the media traffic, taking the microphone or delivering official statements to radio and television reporters. González is now Racing’s communications director and spokesperson. Back then, he stood on the other side of the coaches’ interview area, asking questions as a journalist.

Mourinho faced Racing four times during his first spell at Madrid, as the Cantabrian club had dropped into the second division by his final season. He won three of those encounters and drew the last one 0-0. None of the Madrid players from that squad remain in the locker room, although Sami Khedira, who was part of it, is now on Mourinho’s coaching staff.

Khedira missed Madrid’s final visit to El Sardinero after being sent off in the previous game against Levante, an incident that contributed to his team’s defeat and earned him a public dressing-down from his boss: “He fell into the trap and bears some of the responsibility for the defeat.”

Those were the days of Mourinho at his most confrontational. “When Spain gets involved in a brawl, people talk about unity; when we do it, we’re called bandits,” he complained around that time.

Now, however, Mourinho arrives fresh from making a statement at Camp Nou, where his team delivered a significant victory in his determination to change something he couldn’t accept then, can’t accept now and never will – even if it happens to be one of the few things that has remained unchanged at El Sardinero over the past 15 years.

High above the East Stand, Racing still maintains the tradition of displaying the flags of all 20 LaLiga clubs in league-table order.

And in both 2011 and 2026, the first flag in the row belongs, once again – for now – to Barcelona.

Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.