Real Madrid Chilean lasted just one season at Los Blancos

Pellegrini appointed as Hebei China Fortune coach

Former Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini has insisted that there is no hard feelings from him towards his old club.

During his time in charge during the 2009/10 season, Pellegrini's side achieved a (at that time) record points tally without winning the title, with 96 not enough to overcome Barcelona.

Despite that impressive campaign, the club dispensed with his services at the end of the season, replacing the current Hebei China Fortune tactician with Jose Mourinho, with disappointing cup exits to Alcorcon and Lyon not being viewed favourably.

"Even if I had won LaLiga, my fate was the same," he told MARCA. "There is no grudge now but looking back, I would have handled things differently.

"I would have tried to have a closer relationship with the president and board after it broke down at the beginning of the year. After that, it was all very difficult.

"I do want to make clear that I have no ill will or bad feelings towards the club. It is one of my biggest sources of pride as a coach that I was in charge there and that 75 percent of people in Madrid wanted me to stay.

"On the face of it, the cup defeats are bad because it isn't good for this club's image to lose but I disagree that the Alcorcon or Lyon games ultimately led to my exit."

However, in spite of the 63-year-old's Los Blancos past, he confessed that he would have relished the opportunity to work with some of Barcelona's biggest stars of the past decade.

"I would have loved to work with Xavi Hernandez and Lionel Messi in particular," he admitted. "I was fortunate to coach Cristiano Ronaldo, a tremendous professional to have.

"He shares the same extraordinary ambition that I have but as a fan I don't like to compare them as is often the case. One is a natural talent and the other is a physical marvel."

Pellegrini is now coaching in China after his tenure at Manchester City came to an end when he announced before the end of last season that he would be replaced by Pep Guardiola.

Reflecting on the situation now, the Chilean revealed that he does harbour some regret over the way things ended for him at the Etihad Stadium.

"If you ask me now if it bothered me the way things went and if I would have done something differently then I'd have to say yes," he added.

"I would have waited until the end of the season before making any announcement. It was my decision but I would have done it differently but there were just so many rumours and that bothered me."

As for his successor at Manchester City, Pellegrini mentioned the Catalan coach's fast start and subsequent troubles.

"It looked like Guardiola was going to win the Premier League by 15 points," he stated. "But no, in England it doesn't work like that."