Sports
LaLiga: ‘I Was Fed Up’ – Mourinho Reveals Who Forced Him Out Of Real Madrid
Real Madrid manager José Mourinho has revealed that growing frustration with his players and the media contributed to his decision to leave the Spanish club in 2013.
Mourinho joined Real Madrid in 2010 after winning a treble with Inter Milan and spent three seasons at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Although he failed to win the UEFA Champions League with the Spanish giants, Mourinho led Real Madrid to the LaLiga title in 2012, ending Barcelona’s three-year dominance of the competition.
ALSO READ:
- LaLiga: ‘It’s Done, You’re Finished’ – Ex-Man United Star, Quinton Fortune Warns Flick Over Mourinho
- Osimhen Under Fire For Engaging In Fight With Mourino
However, his time at the club was also marked by reports of player discontent and unrest within the dressing room.
Reflecting on the situation in a Netflix programme, Mourinho discussed his relationship with then-Real Madrid captain Iker Casillas and the mentality he encountered among some of the players.
He said, “The first thing he told me was, ‘I’ve come to ask for more vacation time for the national team players.’
“In the second conversation, he requested that I postpone training by an hour due to heavy traffic in Madrid at the time I intended to commence the session.
“In the third, he mentioned that the players preferred not to go to the hotel and instead wanted to meet on matchday and head directly to the stadium. Mentally, they were in a very poor state.”
Mourinho also addressed reports of tension between him and members of the squad.
“I believe the players had grown weary of me as a leader, and I felt the same towards them. I was frustrated with them, not just the other way around. I was fed up with the players and the media. I wanted to leave. I sensed that my time was up,” he said.
After leaving Real Madrid, Mourinho went on to manage Chelsea, Manchester United and AS Roma before returning to the Spanish club this summer for a second spell, 13 years after his first stint ended.