Hungry Pedro admires Mourinho’s mentality

Pedro insists he is not concerned with Jose Mourinho’s run-ins with former club Barcelona and has praised the Chelsea manager’s “positive and winning mentality”. 

Mourinho persuaded Spain forward Pedro to quit the Nou Camp to join Chelsea for £21million last month in a move which raised plenty of eyebrows in Catalonia.

Former Real Madrid boss Mourinho, who once worked for Barcelona as a translator and later a coach, had plenty of clashes with Barca in his time at the Bernabeu, but Pedro says it wasn’t a consideration when he signed a four-year deal at Stamford Bridge.

“My transfer to Chelsea was done within a couple of days. It all started with a call from Cesc (Fabregas),” Pedro told El Pais.

“Mourinho then gave me a call and that helped me make a decision. Mourinho made me feel important and gave me confidence.

“The past is there and there are people who will not forgive what happened (between Mourinho and Barcelona), but athletes have a different way of valuing things.

“The truth is that one has an image of him that when you know him, changes a lot. It’s not what it seems.

“I like the way Mourinho works. I feel comfortable. He has a positive and winning mentality. I am delighted because I like nothing better than winning.”

Pedro, who worked under Pep Guardiola at Barcelona, says there are similarities between his old and new boss.

“For the intensity of workouts, they are similar. They do not allow the intensity level to be lowered for one minute,” added the 28-year-old.