Football
Miguel Delaney 9y

Jose Mourinho wanted Steven Gerrard at Real Madrid and Inter Milan

LONDON -- Jose Mourinho has said he tried to sign Steven Gerrard at Real Madrid and Inter Milan as well as Chelsea, and that "favourite enemies" like the Liverpool midfielder made him a better manager.

Speaking at his news conference on Friday ahead of Liverpool's trip to Stamford Bridge on Sunday, Mourinho praised Gerrard as they prepare to face each other for the last time before the midfielder leaves for LA Galaxy at the end of the season.

The Portuguese said that planning for matches against players like Gerrard made him a better manager.

"Liverpool is a giant club and if they want to do that my players will accept with respect," Mourinho said about the planned guard of honour for his title-winning Chelsea side. "But speaking about Liverpool and honouring the champions, it is my time to honour the champion.

"It's my time to honour Steve Gerrard and say with opponents like him that I am the manager I am. I learn with my players and my best opponents. With my players' doubts and qualities and with my best opponents, with the problems they give me and way they make me think and analyse them, and study how to play against them.

"Gerrard is for sure one of my favourite enemies and for sure my dear enemy, the one who made me a better manager. To stop him or try to stop him has been very, very difficult. I lost against him, I won, I drew, I was happy, I was sad. I am very sad it's the last time I play against him.

"I need people like him to make me a better coach. I am sad he is leaving the same as our Frank Lampard, but Frank is a Chelsea legend and it's a different situation because Steven was always on the other side.

"I tried to bring him to Chelsea, I tried to bring him to Inter, I tried to bring him to Real Madrid but he was always with the enemy. I want to honour him and I hope Stamford Bridge has the same feeling."

"It's too late to sign him," Mourinho joked. "He can't play against Liverpool. He's done an amazing career with his people. He refused to play in other big clubs, other big leagues to play only for Liverpool and this is a feeling that stays together. Who knows I play against Steven as a Liverpool manager someday."

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