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José Mourinho has described his former Real Madrid squad as "spoiled" and admitted to being "fed up with them" upon his departure from the club following a turbulent stint that ended in 2013.
The 63-year-old, who was reappointed as Real Madrid's head coach in June, previously spent three seasons at the Bernabéu between 2010 and 2013. He claimed La Liga and the Copa del Rey during that time, but, as is frequently the case with Mourinho, his exit was far from amicable.
A rift with the dressing room — most significantly with captain and club icon Iker Casillas — ultimately made his position unsustainable, and he has now opened up about his fractured relationships with his players from that era.
In his newly released self-titled docuseries on Netflix, Mourinho reflected on his time with the Madrid squad during his initial spell in the Spanish capital.
Mourinho Bemoans Mentality Problems in Madrid Camp
The Portuguese manager's conflict with Casillas has been widely covered over the years, and it was during his earliest exchanges with the goalkeeper that Mourinho began to sense his players were "being spoiled."
"The first thing he said to me was, 'I've come to request more vacation time for the national team players,'" Mourinho recalled.
"In our second conversation, he asked me to push training back by an hour because of heavy traffic in Madrid at the time I wanted to begin the session. In the third, he told me they didn't want to stay at the hotel — that they'd rather meet on matchday and head straight to the stadium."
He added: "Mentally, they were in a very bad place."
Casillas further antagonized Mourinho after a phone call with fellow Spaniard Xavi, intended to ease tensions between Real Madrid and Barcelona players during international breaks. That gesture did not sit well with the former Chelsea and Manchester United manager.
"This is a Barcelona vs. Real Madrid match. When you're with the national team, you can embrace each other, but not now. This is war," Mourinho stated. "There are things I don't accept and never will. When someone disrespects me, it becomes a problem."
Mourinho 'Wanted to Leave' Real Madrid
After an exhausting period dealing with some considerable egos at the Bernabéu — ones capable of matching his own — Mourinho has admitted he was ready to walk away from the club when he did in 2013.
"I think the players had grown tired of me as a leader, and I of them too," he said. "I was fed up with them as well, not just them with me. I was fed up with the players and the press."
"I wanted to leave. I felt I was finished."
Mourinho also disclosed that he had been lined up to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United shortly after leaving Madrid, even reaching an agreement with the club. However, following further discussions with Chelsea, he chose to return to Stamford Bridge instead.
"One thing is love for soccer, another thing is love for a certain club," Mourinho admitted when reflecting on his decision to choose Chelsea over United. "I think this is more powerful than love for soccer and fundamentally, after Real Madrid, I needed to feel that I'm loved."
"For me to lose the chance to be the coach to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson was dramatic, but I don't regret [it] because it was a decision that I made with my heart."