"I would go to Madrid again, but I would not do it all the same"

Jose Mourinho was interviewed last night by Portuguese television station TVI and spoke about his relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo, who a few days ago he criticised for missing a penalty against Bayern in the 2012 Champions League, when he was first man to step-up for Madrid.

About Cristiano Ronaldo. “The relationship does not exist. He plays for Real Madrid and I’m at Chelsea. We do not often pass each other on the street. The relationship doesn’t exist, it’s just a memory. I remember the good and the not so good. I remember that he is a goal machine, he helped me to become a champion, to win the cup and the Super Cup. He probably also helped him and each of us to make history in winning the league with 100 points against the best Barcelona side in history. Cristiano Ronaldo gives me great memories and I wish him all the best in his career, for his country and for his club, because when I go to a club I go with a sense of belonging and wish my former players continued success.”

His time at Madrid. “On on hand I achieved a goal: to win three championships that I consider the most important in the world (England, Italy and Spain). That goal was important.” What if you could return again and join Madrid? “Yes, definitely. It was an experience as a man and as a coach that I would repeat again without thinking twice.”

Would you do things the same way? “It’s a very general question. Anyway, if a coach can think and self-critisice, as I do, then the decisions that are made will not always be the same. Not only at Real Madrid but with all clubs.”

Was the dressing room the problem? “You won’t hear me talk about what happened in the past, whether it be positive or negative. I left Real Madrid with a fantastic relationship with the president, the executive director and the entire club after making a decision which was best for my career. I am a happy man, I am going to matches and training with great joy and I am not a person who likes to be talking about the past.”

How did you experience La Décima? “I do not talk about Real Madrid. You, your colleagues, they all want to talk to me about it. They’re waiting but they will keep waiting.”

Chelsea. “This is the only time that I’m not thinking about the next stage of my career. Before I always thought about what would come next. Without being planned, I’m back. I prefer it as a place to work and for my family and social life. I returned here because the club has a different project. In my first spell Financial Fair Play did not exist.

Cesc. “For me it was a surprise that he came. We knew the type of player that we wanted but I never thought there was a chance Fabregas would come. I always thought he would stay in Barcelona, or if he returned to England it would be with Arsenal. When we knew it was possible it completed the jigsaw, leaving us with a team that still has many years to grow with its own identity.”

Two years without winning. “It’s unusual but it’s my fault. It’s unusual to win seven straight championships. I won two in Portugal, two in England, two in Italy and then one in Spain. In the past two seasons, my worst seasons, I reached two semi-finals of the Champions League, the final of the Copa del Rey, won the Super Cup against Barcelona and was pipped to second in Spain and third in England.”

Financial Fair Play. “The main clubs to benefit will be the most economically powerful with more history and more fans. People talk about marketing and trade but this has to do with history. The marketing department won’t make millions without history. Real Madrid is very strong in that aspect because it has a unique history and fans worldwide. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern or United are historically different from the rest and will be the beneficiaries. A new owner who wants to grow their team quickly in order to compete with those teams will not benefit.”