?Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho arrives for training in Los Angeles, California, August 3, 2010. [Xinhua/Reuters Photo] |
Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho accepted Wednesday that leading his new club to victory against FC Barcelona in Spain's BBVA Primera Liga would not be easy.
Speaking in Portuguese newspaper Record, Mourinho said he expected problems in his first season sitting in the dugout at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
"It is not going to be easy. In the league we have to play Barcelona, they are the best team around at the moment and when we play in the Champions League we will have to face rivals from Italian, German and English football," said the Real Madrid coach.
Mourinho joined Real Madrid this summer after leading Inter Milan to the Italian League and the Champions League titles last season.
His predecessor in the Real Madrid job, Manuel Pellegrini, was sacked after Real Madrid finishes second behind Barcelona in Spain, but nevertheless took the club to a record points tally.
Mourinho pleaded for the patience that was not shown to the man he has replaced.
"I am used to saying that the second season is when you see a project starting to show maturity. We were European Champions in my second season at Porto and the same happened with Inter, while in Chelsea we won the league title with fewer problems than in my first season and we reached the semi-finals in Europe twice," he highlighted.
However, Mourinho also accepts that Real Madrid needs some silverware after having been in Barcelona' s shadow for two years.
"I know that in the DNA of Real Madrid, means they want to win everything in the first season and I like that pressure. I am not the sort of person who apologizes for what we don' t have what we want to have. It is a dramatic situation for a bi club to be in," he accepted.
The coach added that was still looking for new signings before the season kicks off at the end of August with a defender and another striker on the agenda.