“After three intense and almost violent years, leaving Real Madrid was the best”

The SL Benfica coach, José Mourinho, assured this Monday that he left Real Madrid after three “hard, intense and almost violent” campaigns because “it was the best” for him and for the white club, and he thinks that Madrid fans “respect” him because he gave “everything”, at the same time that he revealed that there is a clause in his current contract with the ‘Eagles’ to leave this summer.

“Real Madrid is the number one candidate to win the Champions League. Obviously, I expect an opponent similar to the one seen after the game against us, the coach has had the ability to perceive some things, to modify some things, to get out of a difficult situation, from an unexpected and heavy defeat, to now add three consecutive victories,” he said at the press conference prior to the first leg of the Champions League playoffs in Lisbon this Tuesday.

Before the media, the Portuguese coach addressed his current relationship with the white club, and revealed that the last time he spoke with president Florentino Pérez was when he signed with Benfica last year. “He told me that he was very happy because he was returning to a great club. When we played here at home, he didn’t come, he wasn’t in Lisbon, I couldn’t greet him. I have a great friendship with the president and his family. And that’s it, there’s no need to hide it,” said Mourinho who .

“I have given everything to Real Madrid. I have done good things, I have done bad things, but I have given absolutely everything. And when a professional leaves a club with these types of feelings, I believe that there is a connection forever. People respect that I have given everything, people know that I have given my maximum, that is why in a general way they have esteem for me. And that for me is fantastic, but with this I do not want to feed stories that do not exist,” he commented on his Real Madrid past.

In fact, he recalled that he must be “one of the few coaches who has left Real Madrid without being fired.” “When you leave by your own decision, you don’t have to reproach anything, you don’t have to envy anything. I left Real Madrid with a clean soul, I will never forget what the president and José Ángel (Sánchez) told me: ‘now comes the good, now comes the easy, the difficult is done,'” he said.

“But I thought at that moment that it was the best for me, because my family is the most important thing for me, and also the best thing for the world. Changing after three hard, intense, almost violent years, I think that we separated at a fair and ideal moment. Everything that Real Madrid has done since has only given me joy, and I don’t feel like I’m part of anything. The credit goes to whoever was there and who won,” he added about winning the entity’s tenth European Cup. after his departure.

And he revealed his current relationship with Benfica. “The only thing that exists is that I have one more year on my contract with Benfica. It is a special contract because it was signed during the electoral period and we wanted to ethically protect a hypothetical new president, and it has a clause by which it is very easy to break the contract. But with Real Madrid there is zero,” he stated.

“I would very much like to eliminate Real Madrid, but I would very much like for Álvaro (Arbeloa) to win the League and for him to stay for many years because he has a lot of ability and a lot of Real Madrid inside him, in addition to the personality to coach Madrid, which is not for everyone,” commented Mourinho, who defended that “yes you can” say no to the president of Real Madrid.

The Portuguese admitted that “if beating Real Madrid once is very difficult, winning twice is much more difficult, and winning a tie is even more difficult.” “But I think the most important thing about all this is the motivation they have, which I think is not to eliminate Benfica, it is to win the Champions League,” he reflected on the match, after the 4-2 victory in the most recent match.

“I don’t think a miracle is necessary for us to eliminate Real Madrid. I think it is necessary for Benfica to be at a maximum level, almost bordering on perfection. Obviously, Real Madrid is Real Madrid. The only comparable thing is that Real Madrid is a gigantic club and Benfica is also one. For the rest, there is nothing else that can be comparable, but football has this power and we can win,” he expressed.

Finally, Mourinho hopes that the Madrid fans will forget about him next week in the second leg. “Their goal is to eliminate Benfica, move forward and if possible win the Champions League. Let people forget that it’s me,” asked the Portuguese, who defended that the white club’s situation is not “dramatic”, before visiting “a stadium of great memories.”