Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has said that Julen Lopetegui’s dismissal from his role as Spain manager was a ‘strange situation’.
Spain sacked head coach Julen Lopetegui after he was named the new Real Madrid manager just two days before their opening World Cup match with Portugal.
The Spanish football federation (RFEF) said it had dismissed Lopetegui because the negotiation to Madrid occurred ‘without any consultation to the RFEF’.
Mourinho said that his dismissal from the national team should not affect Spain’s chances at this summer’s tournament but that he does feel some sympathy for the 51-year-old.
“It’s a strange situation,” said Mourinho on Russian broadcaster RT.
“I don’t know if Spain sacked the manager or if the manager sacked himself with the way everything happened between himself and Real Madrid.
“I feel sorry for the manager because he was with the [Spain] team for the last two years and of course he deserves to be with the team.
“But I also understand the position of the federation. They have just given him a new contract for the future.
“If it is true what I read that the president of the federation was informed a couple of minutes before the club [Real Madrid] made it official then it is a strange process.
“Spain are a team of such quality, such maturity and such an understanding that I don’t think what has happened is going to make a huge difference.
“It’s not a huge problem for them because the players are so good that they pick themselves.”
