Real Madrid manager José Mourinho has opened up on squad mentality issues that contributed to his exit from the Santiago Bernabéu in 2013, three years after his initial arrival at the Spanish club.
The Portuguese coach joined Real Madrid in 2010 following a treble-winning campaign with Inter Milan. During his initial three-year stint, Mourinho secured a memorable La Liga title in 2012, breaking Barcelona’s three-year dominance in domestic football, though European success in the UEFA Champions League eluded the team.
Reflecting on behind-the-scenes friction during his first tenure, Mourinho—who returned to manage Real Madrid this summer following a 13-year hiatus, recalled early interactions with then-captain Iker Casillas in a Netflix docuseries.
“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.”
Addressing dressing room tensions and media scrutiny, the veteran manager explained that the breakdown in relationships was mutual, leading to his eventual decision to walk away from the club.
“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.”
Following his departure in 2013, Mourinho took charge at several high-profile clubs—including Chelsea, Manchester United, and AS Roma—before returning for his second managerial spell at the Spanish capital.
