Manuel Pellegrini was happy to see Real Madrid cough up a £3 million fee to Villarreal to sign him this summer.

"I am not proud either way over the fee," said the Chilean, "but I am proud, certainly, of being coach of Real Madrid.

"Madrid took a strong gamble on me and I appreciate it. And besides, I'm glad that Villarreal has recovered the investment it made to hire me.

"I rejected other offers from big clubs to come here because this project has an overload of attractions for the professional."