Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has opened up about the mentality problems within the squad that played a role in his exit from the Santiago Bernabeu in 2013, three years after joining the club.
The Portuguese coach arrived at Madrid after winning a treble with Inter Milan in 2010 and spent three seasons at the club.
Although he failed to win the UEFA Champions League, Mourinho led Madrid to the La Liga title in 2012, ending Barcelona’s three-year run as champions.
But behind the scenes, reports of player unrest and discontent continued to emerge.
Mourinho, who has returned for a second spell this summer after 13 years away, reflected on his time at Madrid in a Netflix feature, including his relationship with then-captain Iker Casillas.
He said, “The first thing he told me was, ‘I’ve come to ask for more vacation time for the national team players.
“In the second conversation, he requested that I postpone training by an hour due to heavy traffic in Madrid at the time I intended to commence the session.
“In the third, he mentioned that the players preferred not to go to the hotel and instead wanted to meet on matchday and head directly to the stadium. Mentally, they were in a very poor state.”
Mourinho also addressed reports of dressing-room unrest, saying, “I believe the players had grown weary of me as a leader, and I felt the same towards them. I was frustrated with them, not just the other way around. I was fed up with the players and the media. I wanted to leave. I sensed that my time was up.”
After leaving Madrid, Mourinho managed Chelsea, Manchester United and AS Roma before returning to the club.
