“Great friendship” with Perez… Mourinho explains about his return to Real Madrid

In recent days, media reports have linked Mourinho to coaching Real Madrid, especially after his contract included a clause allowing him to leave Benfica at the end of the season.

Speaking to the media before the second leg, on Tuesday, against Real Madrid in the competition to enter the next round of… UEFA Champions LeagueMourinho made it clear that he was able to refuse the request of the president of Real Madrid Florentino Pérez.

In response to the question, “Would you refuse Real Madrid’s offer?”, he said simply: “Yes, I can.”

Mourinho acknowledged his “great friendship” with Perez and his long-standing relationship with Real Madrid, having coached the team between 2010 and 2013.

He said: “I gave everything to Real Madrid, everything I had. I did good and bad things, but I gave everything completely, and that’s all.”

He added: “When a person leaves the club with such an attitude, I believe that the relationship remains stable… The fans appreciate me a lot, and this is a wonderful thing, but I don’t want to promote stories that don’t exist.”

He added: “The only thing is that I have one more year in my contract with Benfica. It is a special contract because it was signed during the election.”

Mourinho explained that the decision was to protect the new president, even though Rui Costa was re-elected.

He explained: “There is a part that makes it easy for me and Benfica to terminate the contract, but what is there is a contract with Benfica, and nothing with Real Madrid.”

He added: “I really want to knock Real Madrid out of the Champions League, but I want Alvaro to win the honours. Spanish League “I have been living in Madrid for many years.”

Regarding Arbeloa, who signed with Madrid after the sacking of Xabi Alonso, Mourinho said: “I think he is a coach with a lot of talent, a guy who carries Madrid inside him, and he has the personality to coach Madrid, which no one else can do.