Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has underlined how tough a job Jose Mourinho has at Real Madrid.
Mourinho joined the Spanish giants from Inter Milan this summer and is expected to start delivering results immediately.
The Santiago Bernabeu is seething after two failed campaigns, a fact made more painful by the fact that bitter Catalan rivals have won all the trophies and the plaudits.
Ferguson believes Real have made the right choice by going for the Portuguese coach with the Midas touch.
In comments reported by the Daily Mirror, he said: "Real Madrid are better off without question.
"You can expect Real to improve with Jose this year. The Real Madrid job is the hardest challenge in his career.
"I've spoken to Jose a couple of times. He's not managing a normal football club, sometimes he's managing a circus, sometimes a fantastic outfit in terms of the quality of the football they can produce and the kind of players they always want.
"It's a very difficult club to manage."
Mourinho's Real currently sit top of the La Liga standings, with Valencia in second on goal difference.