Former Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho has admitted it was a tough decision to leave the club almost two years ago and he only did so because Chelsea came calling.
The Portuguese spent three years in charge of the Santiago Bernabeu side, with his highlight being the La Liga win in the 2011-2012 season in which Los Blancos set a new record for the number of points amassed and goals scored.
But Mourinho’s time in charge of the 10-time Champions League winners is largely considered a failure. He fell out with most of his own squad in his final year in charge, as well as plenty of opposition players, managers and officials.
And he also failed in his main objective in three seasons – to lead the club to La Decima – which current boss Carlo Ancelotti did at the first attempt.
But speaking to BT Sport, the Chelsea manager, trophyless since 2012 despite considering himself rather special, said it was a tough choice to leave the Spanish capital.
“I don’t think leaving a big club like Real Madrid is an easy option. Normally people that leave Real Madrid because the club wants people to leave, not from their own initiative,” he said.
“So for me to leave Real Madrid and the team that I was building there, only for a club like Chelsea with a project that people explained to me, with that objective of going to the end of my four years contract and possibly go over the four years of my contract. I’m happy to be a part of this new Chelsea, and hopefully I can stay for many years.”
