Jose Mourinho takes dig at La Liga

Former Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has taken a dig at La Liga saying the two giants – Los Blancos and Barcelona – only have four or five meaningful games a season.

The Portuguese manager, only won one league title despite the apparent ease of life in La Liga, said he was able to rest players in league matches and still win, whereas in England you have to be at your best all the time.

He admitted in an interview with Alan Brazil on the Sports Breakfast programme that he was able to keep key players out of the starting eleven and fresh for upcoming European games – although he actually failed to win the Champions League in his time at the club.

The Chelsea manager stated: “I was in Spain but I didn’t enjoy it. I didn’t enjoy it because I won a title with a record in Spain with 100 points and 121 goals, but we played only three or four matches all season.

“I lost a title with 92 points, but again we played only four or five matches in the season. You feel the pressure that you have to win every match because if you don’t you are not champions. You have to win and win. But it is a big, big gap between the giants and the others.”

He went on to say: “In matches in other countries you can win games when you are resting. In Spain and in Italy I won lots of matches resting, where you think ‘what next’, where you think which European game is coming, where you can rest players.

“This season I rested some players against Bradford City and I lost. That is English football. You are winning 2-0 and if you concede a goal you know you are going to have hell for the last few minutes and you might draw 2-2 and lose two points. I think the difference between the Premier League and La Liga is huge. Would they [Barcelona or Real Madrid] win the Premier League? Maybe yes. Maybe not.”