Jose Mourinho: Real Madrid not just about football, politics important at club

Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid

Ex-Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho thinks that his former club, Real Madrid’s politics played a major part in restricting team’s success in his final season at the Bernabeu, admitting that “at Madrid, it is not just about football”.

Last season, Madrid failed to win a major trophy, missing out on domestic as well as European honours while Barcelona swept their to the La Liga title. On European front, Dortmund knocked the Spaniards out of the Champions League in the semifinal.

Last season left a bitter taste in Murinho’s mouth when rivals Atletico Madrid defeated them in the final of the Copa del Rey, leaving Mourinho’s side trophyless.

Mourinho told ESPN: “I know Madrid is a special club, Madrid is not just a club. Madrid is politics. Madrid is not about football, Madrid is not about sport, is about many things around.

“In the second year, we won the championship, we were the best team in the Spanish history, we did 100 points, we scored 121 goals, and then the third year was the year of elections. Elections in that club mean a lot and we were in the middle of things that were not normal and only people that is inside can understand what it is.

“But the season was not so bad. We reached the cup final, of course we lost but we reached the cup final. We reached the UCL semifinals, one goal, one goal difference for not to play the final so the season was not so bad but finish without trophies, only with the Super Cup – we beat Barcelona in the Super Cup – and that’s not enough for me.”