Raul Albiol has claimed that Jose Mourinho lost the Real Madrid dressing room during his final season in charge.
The Portuguese coach was sacked at the end of last season after finishing runners-up to Barcelona in La Liga and exiting the Champions League at the semi-final stage.
Albiol, who left Madrid in the summer to join Napoli, has said that the final few months of Mourinho's tenure were tough.
"With Mourinho there was never a bad relationship, I always got along with him. That is normal with my boss," he told El Pais.
"The last three months at Madrid were unpleasant, because we lost the league, we were eliminated from the Champions League and lost the Copa del Rey Final.
"Maybe last year was the worst in respect of the dressing room atmosphere, but I will stick with the good and my relationship with Mourinho was normal."
Mourinho has since been reappointed manager of Chelsea.
Steven Toplis
