'At Madrid, they told me that some players had to play no matter what'

The Chilean coach was speaking in his homeland, and one of the topics he touched on was his time at Real Madrid. Pellegrini was at Real for just one season, and he has revealed what happened behind the scenes at the club.

"One of the most frequent discussions that I had with the Real Madrid directors was about the players' performance," he stated. "They told me that some players had to play no matter what, but I never compromised."

During his season at Madrid (2009-10), he managed both Cristiano Ronaldo and Raul, and he was full of praise for both of the legendary strikers. "During my career the easiest players to direct have been Cristiano and Raul," he claimed. "It doesn't matter how much they win, they are excellent sportsmen."

He went on to describe the good rapport that he has with other coaches in the game. "I have a good relationship with all the managers, including Mourinho," he said. "We met in London not long ago, and we greeted each other with a big hug."

On a different topic, he expressed his lack of desire to return to coaching in his homeland, even for the national team, which he has been offered on various occasions. "I will never go back to the 'U' [Universidad de Chile] or any other South American side," he stated. "The focus of the sport is different, and so are the resources and the demands. It would be a step backwards."

"I don't like the job of national sides: it's an office job for most of the year. It hurt to say no to Arturo [the president of Chilean football]."

"It's not a finished chapter. Maybe in a few years, when no club wants me, I'll take it."

The coach also revealed that he tried to sign compatriots Arturo Vidal and Alexis Sanchez when he was in charge of Manchester City. "I tried to bring them in, but City were being punished by Financial Fair Play, and it was impossible," he explained.