Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho hints at his departure from Spain after UEFA Champions League exit
FOX SPORTS May 01, 2013 8:00AM
Real Madrid's UEFA Champions League exit will be music to Roman Abramovich's ears, with Jose Mourinho declaring that next season "I want to be where people love me".
When asked after Real Madrid lost their semi-final tie to Borussia Dortmund if he would remain at the Bernabeu, Mourinho replied: "maybe not".
Speculation has been feverish all season that Mourinho would leave the Spanish capital for a return to Chelsea, in the Premier League.
Now that Madrid are out of the Champions League - Mourinho's final frontier at the club - he said at his press conference:
"My future is not important, it is Real Madrid that are important,'' he said.
"I know that in England I am loved. I am loved by the fans and the media who are fair with me. They criticise me and give me credit when I deserve it.
"I know I am loved by the clubs, especially one.
"In Spain it is different because people hate me, many of whom are in this room, and it is difficult because I love the club and the president and we have made this team which is ready to achieve big things.''
Madrid, 11 points behind Barcelona in La Liga, still have a chance for silverware in the Copa Del Rey final against Atletico Madrid next month.
"I didn't make a decision because I have a contract. But more than a contract, because in football contracts you break it when people want to break, is the respect I have for the club and the respect I have for the president," he said.
"That's why I want to play the final, I want to finish the season, I want to try to win the final, I want to try to finish second and at the end of the season I want to sit in front of Florentino Perez - my president, my friend - and decide the best for me.
"I like the club, I like the president, I need to be honest and fair and at the end of the season I speak."
The stars have aligned for a return to Stamford Bridge, where Rafael Benitez will depart in the summer.
Barely minutes after Madrid's elimination, the Mirror was reporting: "Jose Mourinho crashed out of the Champions League last night, but will be given an incredible £100m transfer kitty to rebuild Chelsea if he makes the move back to the Blues this summer."
As for the game itself, Mourinho was furious with the performance of English referee Howard Webb.
"He was a man not a referee in this minute and he has to be a referee. He has to send off (Mats) Hummels, it is not a penalty because it is outside the box but it is a sending off because Karim (Benzema) is clear through on goal.''
The manager acknowledged his side had to capitalise on their early run of chances.
"We started very strongly, with intensity, we pressured them and the circulation of the ball was excellent.
"The earlier you score a goal the better chance you have to come back. We missed important chances and that meant in the second half we had to risk everything.
"We were playing against a quicker team and had to adopt our way of playing which left a lot of space in behind. They had two great chances when (Robert) Lewandowski hit the bar and Diego (Lopez) made a great save but once we scored the people believed a little more.
"I'm proud of the way we kept going till the end.''
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