Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho says he still has close ties to former club Chelsea.

Mourinho played down talk of a rift between himself and Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich that might prevent him returning to the club.

Claiming he had to leave in 2007 because he was still "friendly" with the Russian, he said: "I didn't want to stay and let things go into a direction where we were all feeling it was not the best direction in our fourth season.

"We are friends forever, and no problems between me and Roman."

Mourinho even revealed Chelsea captain John Terry and vice-captain Frank Lampard still called him "boss".