Jose Mourinho has revealed the reason why he didn't return to Milan to celebrate Inter's 2010 Champions League final victory, insisting that, had he done so, he would've ended up not taking over at Real Madrid.
The Portuguese coach concluded a successful two-year spell at San Siro with the Serie A giants by securing a historic treble for the club – the first ever for an Italian side.
Inter came away with the Serie A crown, Coppa Italia and a Champions League title, with the latter coming in a memorable 2-0 triumph over Bayern Munich in Madrid in the 2010 final.
Two goals from Diego Milito were the difference at the Santiago Bernabeu, as Mourinho went out a champion, departing to take over at Real Madrid that summer.
And the former Manchester United boss has revealed that he did not return for the celebrations in Italy because he feared the emotion would be too much and that he would go back on a decision to join the Liga giants.
"The reason why I didn’t return to Milan when the game was over is that I think if I’d returned to Milan, I wouldn’t have gone to Real Madrid," Mourinho told DAZN .
"The decision was made. The contract wasn’t signed but the decision was made. I had decided to go to Real Madrid.
"I hadn’t gone two previous times, it was my third opportunity. Saying ‘no’ to Real Madrid once is difficult, twice is very difficult and three times is impossible. That is why I didn’t return."
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Mourinho recalls he had difficulty keeping his emotions in check following his second Champions League triumph and that he stayed out of the dressing room during the celebrations in order to "run away" from what he was feeling.
"I remember perfectly that I didn’t even go to the dressing rooms because I had that feeling, that sensation, that I was going to lose emotional control. So I ended up running away from those emotions," he added.
"On the pitch, there were few words, lots of of excitement. But I wanted to run away from these emotions. I know myself very well and know very well why I did it."
Mourinho admits he has strong feelings towards that group of Inter players, acknowledging that while it is impossible to return to the past, he considers them all his friends for life.
"I tried not to say goodbye to anyone in a more affectionate way," Mourinho added, while also revealing that he stays in touch with his former players via a social media group chat labelled 'The Treble'.
"It’s exactly this, I miss them. Time doesn’t come back. We can’t go back in time and relive all this again, but friends are forever. They are my friends and I am their friend and this is how I see them."
You can watch the full series of The Making Of exclusively on DAZN.
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