Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has spoken warmly about reuniting with José Mourinho, describing the Portuguese manager as noticeably more composed and measured than during their previous time together at Chelsea.

Mourinho made his return to the Santiago Bernabéu on June 11th, signing a three-year deal that ended a 13-year absence from the Madrid dugout. Los Blancos brought the 63-year-old back to arrest the club's slide following two successive trophyless seasons, with the added mission of breaking Barcelona's stranglehold on the domestic game.

Courtois worked under Mourinho during the 2014–15 season at Chelsea, where the two won the Premier League title together. The Belgian goalkeeper says the manager's personality is fundamentally unchanged — but there is a discernible softening around the edges.