Former Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho has hit out at Cristiano Ronaldo, claiming he coached ‘the real’ Ronaldo at Barcelona.
The Portuguese tactician was an assistant at the Camp Nou in the 1990s, and has insisted that the Brazilian goalscorer is ‘real’ compared to his namesake.
“I became the head Coach of a team for the first time in 2000 [with Benfica], but before then I was an assistant at some great clubs and worked with great coaches and some of the best players in the world,” he told ESPN.
“When I was 30 years old I coached Ronaldo – not that one, the real one, the Brazilian.”
The Chelsea boss then revealed that he tried to sign Gareth Bale at Santiago Bernabeu last term.
“I asked for him in my last year at the club, but it wasn’t possible. It seems like now it’s going to happen and I am happy for Madrid, because Bale is a fantastic player.
“The transfer fee being discussed is enormous, so I think Bale will be under a lot of pressure to justify that investment.”
