Anatoliy Trubin lifts the lid on the magic of Mourinho and the passion of De Zerbi

In his first spell at the Bernabeu, the 63-year-old somewhat dealt with the same issues. Overcoming the Catalans to win the Spanish title and dealt with some massive egos, including one Cristiano Ronaldo. 

Of course, the stint wasn't without its own drama, as he clashed with some senior pros and left the fanbase divided over his tenure, but for most who have played under Mourinho, they only have good things to say about his management style. 

What it is like to play under Mourinho 

One of those names is the goalkeeper he leaves behind at Benfica, Anatoliy Trubin. The Ukrainian hit the headlines last season thanks to his Champions League goal in the dramatic Group Stage clash, ironically against Real Madrid, and he shared in an exclusive interview with DAZN what it was like to play under the charismatic coach. 

He said, "For me, it was an unbelievable experience, an unbelievable moment to work with him,  because this coach won everything.  

"So he has a huge experience, huge knowledge about football, about everything. So it was really good that I had a chance to work with him." 

"Personally, what he said to I need to improve my communication level, my mentality level, because he said that I  understand everything, but sometimes I'm not this guy who will talk all the time. But as a goalkeeper, I need to manage my defenders, help them, talk with them. So I need to improve at this point also.

"He didn't talk too much, but when he talked, he talked right on the point."

@SLBenfica

From Jose to De Zerbi 

Trubin has been lucky enough to play under several big-name managers in his career, another of which is Roberto De Zerbi. 

The Italian led Tottenham's great escape from relegation last season and will now look to get the North London club back among Europe's elite now he has his feet under the table.

Yet, his managerial career also saw him spend a season at Shakhtar Donetsk, where he helped a young Trubin in his own origins at the Ukrainian club. 

And, the 24-year-old admits, although it was an enjoyable time, it was difficult to get used to De Zerbi's style. 

"He's a really crazy coach, but crazy in good terms," he added. 

"Crazy about football because he changed my understanding of football. And with his knowledge, with his training, he gave me a lot in such a short period, like six months more or less.

"But it helped me a lot now. And it was difficult for my head to understand everything because he wants more, all the time, he wants things perfect.

"But now I understand that it was good that I had this opportunity, this chance to work with him. And I'm really happy to see what he did for Tottenham." 

Getty Images

Watch World Cup archive, highlights and documentaries for FREE on DAZN

DAZN is the home of FIFA+, a vast library of football on-demand content including World Cup archive, iconic documentaries, player profiles, live matches and both full match replays and highlights.

Watch it all for FREE on DAZN on smart TVs, phones, tablets, streaming devices, games consoles and web browsers.