Mourinho: Real Madrid the best team in Europe in 2011-12

Real Madrid won LaLiga in 2011-12, but Jose Mourinho, its manager then, feels it was also the best team in Europe.

Former Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho reacts in his technical area

Jose Mourinho believes Real Madrid was the best team in Europe in 2011-12 despite falling short in the Champions League.

Under Mourinho's guidance, Madrid ended Barcelona's run of three straight La Liga titles, setting records for most goals (121) and points (100) in a single season.

But tit fell in the Champions League semifinals, losing to Bayern Munich – which was beaten by Chelsea in the decider – on penalties.

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Mourinho, now in charge of Tottenham, believes Madrid was then the best team in Europe.

"That season, Real Madrid were the best team in Spain and also the best in Europe," he told Marca.

"That's why it was so hard for us to deal with going out to Bayern in the Champions League."

Mourinho said the way Madrid ended Barcelona's LaLiga run was important, although the club has won just one league crown since – in 2016-17.

"Ending that Barcelona dominance and doing it by achieving a record points tally and a record goals tally like that makes it even more interesting and important because we did it in the best way possible," he said.

"It wasn't only that we won LaLiga, it's that we did it in a way that made history."