Jose Mourinho's time at Real Madrid ended badly but the Portuguese transformed the club who, until his tenure, had failed to make their mark in Europe and managed to get them back into the Champions League semi-finals.
Although he never managed to be crowned a European champion at Madrid, he has always been keen to remind people of the part he played in their turnaround.
"I think that for seven or eight years they hadn't reached the quarter-finals," he said to beIN Sports.
"They didn't play in semi-finals or quarter-finals. In my first season we had Lyon and the club was afraid.
"I couldn't understand how a club could be afraid of Lyon, who were a good team, but it was Lyon.
"We fell in the semi-finals on penalties, with Kaka, Sergio Ramos and Cristiano Ronaldo - all excellent takers - failing. Then we had a record of 100 points and lost in the semi-finals on penalties."
Currently without a club, the former Chelsea and Manchester United boss is planning to be back in work for the 2019/20 season.
"I have the idea in mind to start in June at a club," he said.
"I know exactly what I don't want next season, which is why I rejected three or four offers.
"I know what I want, not in terms of a specific club, but the nature of the work and the size of the club, and that's what I'm waiting for."