José Mourinho spoke about everything in an extensive interview he gave to *Corriere dello Sport*, addressing several issues: from the much-discussed Manchester City case and his relationship with referees, to his return to Real Madrid, the evolution of the coaching profession, and the changes brought about by modern soccer.
The Portuguese coach also spoke about his second stint on the bench of “La Reina,” as well as his upcoming return to the Olimpico to face Roma, once again maintaining his characteristic, sharp tone.
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Here’s what he said in detail:
On the Manchester City situation: “I’d rather laugh it off a bit, because I believe this will all come to an end. But the two of us, who are in our sixties, need to be lucky enough to still be here when the final decision comes, because now there will be a ruling, and then an appeal….”
On his relationship with refereeing and the Negreira case: “I came and lived here, at Real Madrid, during the Negreira era. No one knew about it, but we lived through it. Then I left, and now we know about it. But the big scandal happened in Turkey… After that, situations like this happened to me often.”
On his return to Real Madrid: “Usually, there’s contact first, and then the rumors start. Here, it was exactly the opposite: the rumors started when there had been absolutely no contact. I was happy at Benfica when all this talk began. My connection with Real Madrid goes back thirteen years. Ever since I left, I’ve always stayed in touch. Carlo [Ancelotti] knew I was friends with President Florentino. There was nothing to hide.”
On his relationship with Real Madrid: “It’s like coming home. There’s an emotional bond with this club, one that’s defined by its class.”
On the coaching profession: “Today, a coach’s career is much shorter. They come quickly and leave quickly. The model of the lifelong coach doesn’t really exist anymore. I remember my first meetings at UEFA with people like Alex Ferguson, Fabio Capello, Trapattoni, Lippi, and Wenger. I’ll keep coaching as long as I’m healthy. Your DNA doesn’t change. Many things can change, but your DNA doesn’t.”
On the changes in modern soccer: “I wouldn’t call it an evolution, but a transformation. Every team travels today with two buses—one for the players and one for the staff. Sometimes, when I arrive at the hotel, I see the room list: ten analysts, ten social media people… Do we really need all of them?”
On his return to the Olimpico to face Roma: “I’m not expecting banners. I’m expecting respect. I haven’t focused on this game yet, but it will be different from my other comebacks against former teams, like Inter or Chelsea.”
*photo source: KYPE
