Real agree to replace Pelligrini with Mourinho

Madrid president says the club is enthusiastic about one of the "best coaches in the world" to give them impetus provided he terminates his contract with Inter.

Real Madrid will replace Manuel Pelligrini with Jose Mourinho as their new coach as soon he negotiates an end to his contract with Inter Milan, the Madrid president Florentino Perez said yesterday. Neither Mourinho nor Pellegrini was present at the news conference at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium when Perez made the announcement. "We consider that we are at the right moment to give the club new impetus and to go for one of the best coaches in the world, and we now have the opportunity to do so," Perez said. He also thanked Pelligrini for his efforts, describing his work at the club as "impeccable." "Everyone at the club is enthusiastic to be able to count on one of the best coaches in the world, we think he [Mourinho] is going to contribute a lot to our squad," Perez said. Mourinho's move to Madrid was announced days after he led Inter to the Champions League title in the Spanish capital on May 22, beating Bayern Munich in the final. His team also won the Italian league and cup double in the same season. Having enjoyed a successful spell coaching in England, Mourinho long ago announced his ambition to work in Spain and thus win trophies in another of Europe's major football leagues. As the season drew to a close, Mourinho, who won the Italian league title in 2008-09, his first season with Inter, made his dislike of Italian football increasingly clear. He told Sky Sports in March: "I am very happy at Inter; I am not happy with Italian football. Why? Because I don't like it and it doesn't like me." * AP