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Jose Mourinho has delivered a devastating response to Rafa Benitez’s wife after she claimed the Real Madrid boss is always “tidying up his messes”.

The Chelsea boss hit back: “If she takes care of her husband's diet she will have less time to speak about me."

Montse Benitez had said in an interview with La Region earlier this week: “Real Madrid are the third of Jose Mourinho's old teams Rafa has coached.

(Image: Helios de la Rubia)

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”We tidy up his messes! If you think about it, of course you end up crossing paths. There are only a few world-class clubs out there."

But Mourinho countered by claiming Benitez had destroyed his Treble-winning side at Inter Milan five years ago.

Mourinho also pointed out that the Spaniard did not succeed him directly at Chelsea - or at Real Madrid.

(Image: Getty)

Speaking after his side’s win over Barcelona here in Washington, Mourinho said: “The lady is a bit confused, with all respect.

“I’m not laughing. Because her husband went to Chelsea to replace Roberto Di Matteo and he went to Real Madrid and replaced Carlo Ancelotti.

"The only club where her husband replaces me was at Inter Milan, where in six months he destroyed the best team in Europe at the time.

"And for her also to think about me and to speak about me, I think the lady needs to occupy her time and if she takes care of her husband's diet she will have less time to speak about me."

(Image: Helios de la Rubia)

Benitez has had a bitter rivalry with Mourinho dating back to his time in charge of Liverpool when he beat the Portuguese in two Champions League semi-finals.

Benitez, however lasted just six months at Inter Milan after Mourinho had won the Champions League, the Italian title and the Italian Cup before leaving at the end of the 2009-10 season.

Benitez was also one of seven Chelsea bosses in the six-year spell - excluding caretaker Ray Wilkins - after Mourinho’s first stint at Stamford Bridge. And his appointment at Madrid this summer has come two years after Mourinho's departure.