Mourinho: “I decided to sign for Real Madrid after Inter’s Semifinals against Barcelona”

Former Real Madrid and Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho has talked to La Gazzetta Dello Sport 10 years after the Italian club conquered the Camp Nou to clinch their presence in the Champions League Final. Mourinho left Inter after winning the title and joined Madrid, where he spent three seasons.

“I made the decision after the return leg against Barcelona just because I knew we were going to win the Champions League. I had told Moratti. Words weren’t needed, Moratti and I embraced after the game and told me that I had the right to leave, to do what I want and be happy. I was happier in Milan than in Madrid, though,” said Mourinho.

Reports from the Spanish and Italian press said that Mourinho had already signed his contract before the Final, which was played at the Bernabeu. The coach says that those reports aren’t accurate.

“Had I gone back to Milan after the Final, with the fans singing my name, perhaps I would have never left. I hadn’t signed for Inter yet though. Those who say that a man from Real Madrid came to our hotel before the Final are spreading dumb rumors,” he says.

Mourinho also revealed that he received an offer to join Real Madrid when he was with Chelsea.

“I wanted to join Madrid. They already wanted to sign me the previous year, I told Inter president Massimo Moratti about it but he convinced me of staying. I said “no” to Madrid when I was in Chelsea, but you can’t say “no” to Madrid three different times,” concluded Mourinho.

The Portuguese’s tenure in the Spanish capital was a success, even more so after the struggles against Barcelona the previous years. Still, Real Madrid’s loss in the 2011-2012 Semifinals against Bayern Munich prevented Mourinho from truly writing history for the club.