Mourinho talks Guardiola rivalry, Barcelona, El Clasico, Mbappe ahead of Real Madrid return: ‘No bad memories’

Mourinho talks Guardiola rivalry, Barcelona, El Clasico, Mbappe ahead of Real Madrid return: ‘No bad memories’ Jose Mourinho has finally broken his silence since returning to Real Madrid , and, unsurprisingly, Barcelona became one of the main talking points. The new Real Madrid manager sat down for an extensive interview with Vanity Fair , his first major media appearance since taking charge at the Santiago Bernabeu.  Mourinho discussed everything from his return to Real Madrid and his relationship with Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique to the legendary El Clasico rivalry that defined an era of Spanish football. While Mourinho made it clear that he still has affection for Barcelona because of his years at the club, the Portuguese coach also delivered several reminders of what he achieved during his first spell at Real Madrid. Mourinho on Barcelona roots and friendship with Guardiola Long before becoming one of football’s most successful managers, Jose Mourinho worked at Barcelona as part of Bobby Robson’s coaching staff. During that period, he shared a dressing room environment with players who would later become elite coaches themselves, including Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique. Looking back on those years, Mourinho explained how different the situation was at the time. “I was a young assistant. Pep and Luis, at that time, were just players. “I was a long way from where I would end up. I think Pep and Luis were only thinking about their football careers and not their careers as coaches. “Now we’re all Champions League winners. But back then, honestly, we were just trying to do our best work. “Of course, I could tell that Pep was a very intelligent player—from the way he played, from how he read the game. Mourinho has talked about his early days at Barcelona. (Photo by Alex Broadway/Getty Images) “Of course, I could tell that Luis was a leader, that Luis was a motivator. I could sense that, too. But at that moment, you don’t think about that; you just think about giving it your all.” Mourinho on Barcelona rivalry Mourinho’s relationship with Barcelona became one of football’s most fascinating storylines when he later returned to Spain as Real Madrid manager. The Portuguese coach oversaw some of the most intense El Clasico clashes in modern history, regularly facing Guardiola’s Barcelona side during a period dominated by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Despite the fierce rivalry, Mourinho insisted there is no bitterness towards his former club. “We had a wonderful time in Barcelona. My daughter moved to Barcelona when she was just one month old. My son was born in Barcelona. And I have no bad memories of it. “But football is football, and I played against Barcelona countless times, starting at Chelsea before moving to Inter. “Important Champions League matches with Chelsea, then important Champions League matches with Inter, and then I went to Real Madrid. I think it was fate that brought us together. “Ultimately, I won’t deny that I love Real Madrid, and that’s why I’m returning. But I harbour no ill feelings towards Barcelona. “I simply enjoy playing against them because, in football, you enjoy playing against the best. The best players push you to be better.” The Real Madrid manager also took the opportunity to revisit one of the greatest achievements of his first spell in Spain. “Barcelona are seen as the team that plays incredible football. Barcelona are seen as the team that scores lots of goals. “But this is a huge contradiction. The team that scored the most goals in the history of Spanish football was my Real Madrid in the 2011–12 season, with 121 goals and 100 points in a single season.” Mourinho explains why El Clasico has changed For many football fans, the Guardiola-Mourinho era represented the peak of El Clasico. Mourinho is excited to work with Mbappe. (Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez Rey/Getty Images) The rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona became a global event, fuelled by the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. According to Mourinho, modern football has struggled to recreate that atmosphere. “People don’t watch El Clasico the way they used to. The world would come to a standstill. It wasn’t just about Madrid and Barcelona, or even Spain. “It was the whole world. People would eagerly await those matches. Of course, Cristiano and Messi were icons. They were the two best players in the world. Real Madrid is the best club in the world. “Barcelona is one of the best clubs in the world after Real Madrid. Honestly, it was madness. I think it’s a bit like Nadal versus Federer or Nadal versus Djokovic. “Although tennis now has promising young players, those who love the sport remember those years as something special. Those classics were special too.” Praise for Mbappe Lastly, the new Real Madrid manager was also asked about his views on Kylian Mbappe and how he plans to utilise the French superstar. “I have to see for myself. I need to understand things that, at the moment, I don’t know. All I know right now is what I read in the media and what I see on television. I need to get to know the players.  “This is not the time to speak. It’s time to stay calm, analyse, communicate, ask questions, answer questions and engage in a fluid and honest dialogue.  “Because ultimately, what I want is to help the players improve, the team improve, and the club improve.  “I’m here to help everyone – not to criticise, not to talk, but to listen. The only thing I can say about Kylian Mbappe is that he’s a phenomenal player, and I’m going to try to help him become even better,” he concluded.