Mourinho is in combative mood ahead of the new Premier League season, after a remarkable riposte to criticism from Montse Seara, Benítez’s wife, which has reignited a long-running row that stretches back to 2005.
In response to remarks that Benítez was “tidying up” the “mess” of Mourinho’s spell at Real Madrid, the Portuguese accused him of “destroying the best team in Europe” when he took charge of Inter five years ago. Mourinho then went further by imploring Seara to focus on controlling her husband’s diet. However, Benítez was refusing to take the bait.
Mrs Benítez had made a remark in Spanish newspaper La Región, claiming that her husband had spent much of his managerial career clearing up the work of Mourinho at Chelsea, Inter and Real Madrid. However, Benítez was appointed by Real Madrid this summer two years after Mourinho departed to return to Stamford Bridge, and the comments brought a withering response.
Mourinho said: “The lady is a bit confused, with all respect. I’m not laughing. She is confused because her husband went to Chelsea to replace Roberto Di Matteo and he went to Real Madrid and replaced Carlo Ancelotti.
“The only club where her husband replaced me was at Inter, where in six months he destroyed the best team in Europe at the time. And for her also to think about me and to speak about me, I think the lady needs to occupy her time, and if she takes care of her husband’s diet she will have less time to speak about me.”
Speaking before the pre-season friendly against AC Milan in China, Benítez declined to respond, only saying: “I am Real Madrid’s coach, I love football and for that reason I only talk about football.”