Jose Mourinho believes Carlo Ancelotti should stay at Real Madrid, claiming he was the only 'madman' to consider willingly leaving the club.
Ancelotti is enjoying a fruitful second stint in charge of Los Blancos, but his contract is up at the end of the season and he has long been linked with the Brazil national team job.
90min reported on Friday that though Brazil believe Ancelotti has provisionally agreed to take the job, Madrid will offer him a new contract to try and convince him to stay at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Speaking to RAI earlier this week, Mourinho urged Ancelotti to prolong his stay in the Spanish capital and opened up on his own exit in 2013 after talks with club president Florentino Perez.
"When you have a super coach, why would you look for another one? Knowing Florentino, and I know him very well, he is a super intelligent man and if you read the press, it seems very clear," Mourinho said.
"I, as a Real Madrid fan, with a white heart and as an Ancelottista, I hope that the season goes fantastic and that Carlo will be there next season, because he is the perfect coach for Real Madrid.
"Only a madman leaves Real Madrid when Real Madrid wants them [to stay]. That was me, I was the only one. After three years, Perez and Jose Angel Sanchez wanted so, so, so much for me to continue, but I was the one who decided to leave. I was a madman.
"I'm sure that at the slightest gesture from Florentino, Carlo stays. He's perfect for Real Madrid and Real Madrid is perfect for him."
Mourinho joined Madrid in 2010 after winning a historic treble with Inter. Though he was unable to deliver Champions League glory, he led the club to an impressive 2011/12 La Liga title, pipping Pep Guardiola's Barcelona to first place.
Officially, Mourinho left Madrid by mutual consent in May 2013 at the end of a season he described as 'the worst of my career'. He rejoined Chelsea as manager later that summer.
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This article was originally published on 90min as 'I was a madman' - Jose Mourinho tells Carlo Ancelotti to stay at Real Madrid.