‘He is special person' — Chivu praises Mourinho before Inter vs Real Madrid

Inter head coach Cristian Chivu has described José Mourinho as a 'special person' who played an important role in his life during their time together at the Italian club. Mourinho coached Chivu for two seasons between 2008 and 2010, and the pair will now face each other from opposite benches when Inter visit Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu in the Champions League. 'He is a special person whom I was lucky to meet in my life. He gave me important help during a difficult moment in my life, and I will never forget that,' Chivu said at his pre-match press conference. The Inter boss also praised Mourinho's ability to understand the teams he works with and instill the right mentality in his players. 'He is very good at getting into the reality of the team he represents and transmitting its mentality. He is a winner who knows how to communicate things at the right time, and that is something few people can do like him,' Chivu added. Mourinho led Inter to major success during their time together, including the historic treble in the 2009/10 season. Chivu believes his former coach can also enjoy a successful campaign with Real Madrid. 'He has won everywhere he has been, and I am sure Real Madrid will have a great season,' the Romanian concluded.