re: Chelsea 2013/14 Season Long Thread

No, not really. He was always going to struggle to win over the Madrid fans because of his style, which he changed. Casillas is a stalwart of that fanbase, a homegrown keeper who has grown to be one of the best ever players in his position. In the eyes of those fans, Casillas can do very little wrong. I mean, let's remember that the Madrid fanbase was the one that chased away Fabio Capello after he won La Liga because he didn't play attractive enough football.

Mourinho, as a classic narcissist, was obviously envious of Casillas's adoration. Problems between Mourinho and Casillas date back to his first season in charge, because no one at any of the clubs Mourinho has managed can be bigger than Mourinho himself.

He might have a special relationship with Chelsea, but it is because he receives unmitigated adulation from the fans, who treat Mourinho as Madrid fans treat Casillas. Outside of winning football matches, which Mourinho does very well, he wants the unmitigated adulation, the desire for none of his moves to be questioned. He was never going to get that at Madrid. Ever. Unless the team was undefeated, and won the Decima, and played the most spectacular football imaginable.