Jose Mourinho Officially Unveiled At Real Madrid

Unveiled at the Santiago Bernabéu on Monday, Mourinho said “I don’t know if I was born to coach Real Madrid but I was born to be a football coach.

“I love important challenges. I am Jose Mourinho and I don’t change. I arrive with all my qualities and my defects.”

The 47-year-old moves to Spain after winning three titles this year in Italy – the Champions League, Serie A, and Coppa Italia. For some time Mourinho has said that he would like to win the Spanish Primera to go with his titles in Italy and England, where he won the Premier League with Chelsea. Recently, he has also added another goal to his European tour: winning the Champions League with Real Madrid.

Real Madrid finished four points behind Barcelona in La Liga this season, and although they have won the Champions League and European Cup more than any other club (nine times), they have not won the competition since 2001-02. If greater frustration, Real Madrid has not advanced in the knockout rounds since the competition changed format in 2003-04, eliminated each season in the round of 16.

This year, Real Madrid’s elimination at the hands of Lyon precipitated Manuel Pellegrini’s dismissal. The Chilean had moved to the Santiago Barnabéu from Villareal last summer and led Real Madrid to 96 La Liga points, a club record.

On Monday, Mourinho spoke of the challenges of being the next in line with Los Merengues:

“My attraction to Real Madrid is due to its history, its frustrations in recent years and its expectations to win. It’s a unique club and I believe that not to coach Real leaves a void in a coach’s career.

“Luckily, I’ve had a beautiful career and it makes me proud to have come here.

“I am very enthusiastic. I want my players to think that way. The beauty is not so much to train or play at Real, but to win at Real Madrid.”

“It is too early to speak about changes, I believe it’s time to analyse the situation, to know my new club, make a lot of questions and wait for answers.

“I need to realise the direction of my work.

“But the strengths of my teams were always the team, not the individuals. And was always the fact that my players understand that the most important thing is the club, not the players, not the coach.

“We are too little compared with the dimension of the club, and if we all realise this and if we all work in a group I think it is not too difficult to get results.”