Mourinho takes swipe at predecessor Pellegrini

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho took a swipe at his predecessor Manuel Pellegrini yesterday, saying that, unlike the Chilean, he would end up at a big club if he was fired. Pellegrini signed with strugglers Malaga following his dismissal by Real last...

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho took a swipe at his predecessor Manuel Pellegrini yesterday, saying that, unlike the Chilean, he would end up at a big club if he was fired.

Pellegrini signed with strugglers Malaga following his dismissal by Real last season after failing to win any trophies during the 2009-10 campaign, his first with the club.

Under Pellegrini, Real lost the league to Barcelona by three points despite a record haul of 96 points and they were knocked out of both the Champions League and the King’s Cup.

Pellegrini will face Real today for the first time since he was sacked.

Asked if he could suffer the same fate as Pellegrini, Mourinho said: “The same thing cannot happen. You know why? Because if Real fire me I won’t go and coach Malaga. I’d go to a big club in England or Italy.”

“I have my own philosophy. Being second by two or ten points, scoring 500 or 200 goals... being second is the first of the last,” the Portuguese coach added.

After he was sacked by Real, Pellegrini reportedly had talks with Liverpool and was offered the post of Mexico’s national team coach.

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