Rafael Benítez appeared to hint that Real Madrid were interested in him taking over at the club should José Mourinho leave the Bernabéu in the summer.

Asked about life after Chelsea by the Spanish radio station Onda Cero, the interim manager at Stamford Bridge said: "My future? I know things but I am not going to say anything about Real Madrid because I think I shouldn't do so."

"We know there's interest from Germany and Real Madrid," the presenter said, to which Benítez replied: "I don't know." The interviewer responded with: "I do ..." to which Benítez replied: "I know things but I think I shouldn't say ..."

Benítez added: "As for Germany, I was working with a TV channel there so I was going a lot, watching a lot. I like German football because in some ways it is similar to England. The clubs are well structured, they are organised economically, the stadiums are full, there is respect. I think there are lots of things that are good."

Real's coach, Jose Mourinho, responded to Benítez's comments by saying: "As a Chelsea fan i would hope that he wasn't thinking about Madrid during game with Corinthians."

Benítez explained: "When I accepted Chelsea's offer I did it because I thought it was a good option. Last year when I left Inter I knew I had to wait for an opportunity like this. Logically, I am studying the market to know what options there are and when they might appear.

"The teams at the top win more than they lose and it's hard to get into those circles. The teams near the top that interest me were not available at the time. When you wait for a top team, things have to go very, very badly for them for that opportunity to appear.

"I never said I would never train a team like Chelsea. I have a challenge which is to try to win and do things well. Winning people over is a question of time. Sometimes I don't understand the chanting against me. [But] I am focused on the game and I don't know what's happening in the stands.

"I knew when I left Inter that I would have to wait a bit. But I said to myself: 'I can't keep waiting because I'll be here for two and a half years.' And then Chelsea appeared, a team I have been able to watch closely, a team I knew well, with five trophies to play for ... it was a good opportunity."