The Portuguese manager opens up about his decision to leave Real Madrid in 2013, despite Florentino Perez’s plea for him to stay.
Jose Mourinho has expressed regret over his departure from Real Madrid in 2013. In a recent interview with CorSport, Mourinho admitted, “Saying no to Florentino Perez remains one of the big regrets.”
The Portuguese manager revealed that Perez, Real Madrid’s president, had urged him to stay at the club. “He told me: Don’t leave now, you’ve done the hard part and the good part is yet to come. Stay at Real Madrid,” Mourinho recounted.
Despite Perez’s persuasion, Mourinho chose to return to Chelsea. “But I wanted to return to Chelsea after 3 tough years in Spain!” he explained. Mourinho’s tenure at Real Madrid was marked by intense rivalry with Barcelona and significant pressure.
His decision to leave came after a season without major trophies, despite winning La Liga the previous year. The manager’s revelation sheds light on the complex relationships in football’s upper echelons.
Mourinho’s candid admission adds a human element to his often controversial public persona. This insight into his career choices offers fans a glimpse of the difficult decisions managers face at the highest level of the sport.