New Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has hit back at claims that he "damaged" Spanish football during his three seasons at Real Madrid.
The 50-year-old ended his time in Spain with La Liga title and one Copa del Rey triumph but the Portuguese was accused of doing "more harm than good" by Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta.
During his time in Madrid Mourinho had numerous run-ins with the press and his own players, and was criticised by his own club for some of the behaviour he showed on the sidelines.
That included an incident where he poked then Barcelona assistant Tito Vilanova in the eye during a touchline spat.
Mourinho returned to Chelsea earlier this month, signing a four-year contract with the club he left in 2007, and immediately set his sights on driving them back to the top of English football.
However, he questioned the accusation made by Iniesta and suggested that the work he had done in Madrid was only being played down because he broke the Catalan giants' stranglehold on Spanish football.
"I damaged Spanish football by being the manager that broke Barcelona's dominance," he said.
"They were dominant, and dominant, and dominant, and it looked like a dominance without an end.
"Real Madrid won a cup final against Barcelona, Real Madrid won the Super Cup against Barcelona, Real Madrid won in Barcelona, and Real Madrid won the championship, which is the historic championship of 100 points and 121 goals."
