Jose Mourinho has achieved his main career goal after being named as the new manager of Spanish football giants Real Madrid.
Mourinho had made no secret of his desire to
take control in Madrid
The union of the game's most coveted manager with its most successful club side had been widely expected.
The former Chelsea boss - who with Inter Milan last weekend won his second Champions League title - had declared his interest in the job, if it became available.
The vacancy was expected to be confirmed when Madrid called a press conference this evening.
But club president Florentino Pérez surprised the gathered reporters by also announcing Mourinho's appointment, after declaring coach Manuel Pellegrini had been dismissed.
Meanwhile, in Italy, Mourinho was filmed bidding a teary farewell to his Inter players.
The 47-year-old sobbed after an embrace with the club's veteran defender Marco Materazzi.
He guided the Italian club to a treble of trophies this season, while operating a mutually-loathing relationship with the country's press.
Fittingly, his last match with Inter - the 2-0 Champions League Final victory over Germany's Bayern Munich - was held at Madrid's home ground, Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.
He will also bring his animated touchline
performances to Spain
Despite his own virtuoso press conference performances, on the field Mourinho's sides have often earned their spectacular results with a cautious brand of football.
"He has become famous for winning as pragmatically as necessary," Powell said.
"Will the fans take to him? Will they accept winning football unless it is also the entertaining football that has been associated with Real Madrid?"
Mourinho will be expected to repeat his
European success at Madrid
"The pieces are in place," Powell added. "But they need his man-management."
After trophy-laden spells in Portugal, England and Italy, Spain's La Liga will become the fourth European league in which Mourinho has managed.
But he has experience of working in the country before.
He began his career in the game almost two decades ago as an interpreter to the late Bobby Robson at Madrid's arch-rivals, Barcelona.