Jose Mourinho at Chelsea: Manager hits back at Andres Iniesta after being accused of 'damaging' La Liga
The new Chelsea manager explains the reasons for the strong feelings in Spain about him
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Jose Mourinho fiercely defended his time at Real Madrid earlier, after Barcelona’s Andres Iniesta said that he had “damaged” Spanish football, the new Chelsea manager saying that he “hurt” the Catalan giants by ending their hegemony.
Although Mourinho did not win the Champions League in his three seasons at the Santiago Bernabeu, he did win the Spanish title back from Barcelona in 2011-12, in Pep Guardiola’s last season at the Nou Camp. In doing so, Mourinho claimed to have ended Guardiola’s great Barcelona side, who won the Spanish title in 2009, 2010 and 2011 as well as the 2009 and 2011 Champions Leagues, 2009 and 2012 Copa del Rey and 2009 and 2011 Club World Cups.
“I damaged Spanish football by being the manager that broke Barcelona's dominance,” Mourinho joked at his unveiling as Chelsea manager. “They were dominant, dominant and dominant, and it looked like a dominance without an end.”
“Then Real Madrid won a cup final against Barcelona [April 2011], the SuperCup against Barcelona [August 2012], we won in Barcelona and the championship [2011-12], which is the historic championship of 100 points and 121 goals. I hurt them, I hurt them. It was a fantastic time for me, reaching what I wanted to reach.”
Mourinho did not add a third European Cup to those he won with Porto and Internazionale but he reminded that Madrid’s recent record in the competition that they have won nine times was not immaculate.
“We couldn't get the Champions League, which was our ambition, but it's very difficult to do that. You never know when you can do that. It was so difficult at Madrid: when I arrived they'd not even been to a quarter-final for six years, but we got into the semis. We couldn't win it.”
In Mourinho’s last season at Madrid, Real lost the Spanish title back to Barcelona, lost the Copa Del Rey final at home to Atletico Madrid and were knocked out of the Champions League semi-finals by Borussia Dortmund. The season was dominated by Mourinho’s feuding with goalkeeper and captain Iker Casillas but he insisted their disagreement was purely sporting.
“I play the players I think are the best for the team,” he said. “Of course I want good relations with everybody, but the most important is having good relations with myself. As a manager, I have to be honest with myself. If I think somebody deserves to play, he has to play. If someone has big stature, profile and career, I cannot give him a privilege. It was simply a pure footballing decision. I decided for one player and not the other, and it's up for the players to accept it or not, and the media and supporters to accept it or not. But, as a manager, all my decisions are based on meritocracy.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments