Jose Mourinho has revealed he decided to join Real Madrid from Inter after the Champions League semi-final triumph over Barcelona.
The Portuguese boss was appointed at the Santiago Bernabeu that summer after leading the Nerazzurri to the Champions League title.
However, he has now revealed the decision was made in advance of his side’s defeat of Bayern Munich in the showpiece, which ironically took place in the Spanish capital.
Mourinho said he had the blessing of Inter president Massimo Moratti to join Los Blancos, but he also revealed that he was never as happy in Madrid as he had been at Inter.
The current Tottenham boss was arguably at the peak of his managerial powers during his time at Inter, helping them to dominate Italian football and masterminding their Champions League triumph including the memorable victory over Barcelona.
Having beaten Pep Guardiola’s side 3-1 at the San Siro, and despite a red card for Thiago Motta in the Camp Nou – Inter progressed 3-2 on aggregate.
“I made the decision after the second game of the semi-final with Barcelona, because I knew we were going to win the Champions League,” Mourinho told Gazzetta dello Sport, via Marca. “Moratti understood, but his words were not necessary, it was seen by how we hugged each other on the pitch after the Madrid final.
“Moratti told me ‘after this you have the right to leave’. It was the allowance to do what I wanted, to be happy. As it turned out, I was happier in Milan than in Madrid.
“If I had returned to Milan after the Santiago Bernabéu final, with the fans chanting my name, perhaps I would not have left Inter. I had not yet signed with Madrid. Those who say that a Madrid delegate came to our hotel in Madrid before the final (won against Bayern) is nonsense.
“I wanted to go to Madrid. They wanted me from the previous year, I proposed it to Moratti, but he convinced me to stay. And I had already told Madrid when I was at Chelsea. You cannot say no three times to Madrid.”
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