Madrid: Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has admitted his love for previous clubs Chelsea and Inter Milan, but intimated his affection for the duo should not be overestimated and seemingly ruled out going back to either of his previous sides.
Fans of the Blues and the Nerazzurri were heard chanting their one-time trainer's name during their respective matches over the weekend, apparently longing for a return of their successful former coach.
But speaking after Madrid's routine 4-0 victory over Racing Santander on Saturday, although the 48-year-old responded positively to the news, he hinted that a second spell at either club was not presently in his thoughts.
"I have much love for Chelsea and Inter," said Mourinho. "[However], I prefer to support these teams and hear the fans sing my name."
Chelsea supporters sang for the coach known as the 'Special One' during Saturday's 1-1 FA Cup draw with second-tier Birmingham City, after the Inter faithful had done the same in Friday's 3-0 Serie A defeat at home to Bologna.
The results piled more pressure on Chelsea's Andre Villas-Boas and Inter's Claudio Ranieri, who was also succeeded by Mourinho at Stamford Bridge back in 2004.
Mourinho, however, advised the disgruntled fans of his former clubs to get behind their own coaches.
"My message to the fans is I love Chelsea and Inter a great deal but I would prefer them to support their own teams and coaches," Mourinho said.
"I am the past, a very good past, but I am not there anymore and they should all be fighting together."
Mourinho led Chelsea to the English Premier League title in 2005 and 2006. His next stint as a coach at Inter then yielded an unprecedented Serie A-Italian Cup-Champions League treble in 2010.
Villas-Boas, who used to work under Mourinho at Chelsea and Inter, has come under fire with the London club fifth in the table, having won just two of their last 10 league games.
Ranieri is in a similar situation with Inter sixth in Serie A after a run of three straight defeats.
Mourinho then took the time out to clarify a report in one Madrid-based newspaper, which took a swipe at the former Porto man for his reluctance in selecting Cantera players, namely defender Daniel Carvajal.
However, after it was then revealed that Carvajal was actually suspended from participating on Saturday, he proceeded to indirectly attack the publication, labelling their report as a form of "disastrous" journalism.
"When we do our job, coaches are still criticised. When you're wrong, you must also be criticised," he said. "So you cannot ask for a player, who is suspended, to play. The present quality of journalism is disastrous."
Real Madrid have moved provisionally 13 points clear of arch-rivals Barcelona at the La Liga summit.
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