Jose Mourinho makes jokes about Rafa Benitez's weight

Jose Mourinho has hit back at Rafael Benitez's wife – with a remarkable jibe about his rival manager's weight.

Montserrat Seara had claimed in Spanish newspaper La Region that her husband "tidied up the mess" left behind by Mourinho after Benitez took over at Real Madrid this summer – the third time he had joined a club previously managed by the Chelsea boss.

However, speaking after the Blues' pre-season friendly victory over Barcelona in Washington DC, Mourinho pointedly told Mrs Benitez she should concentrate on the Spaniard's diet.

He also claimed Benitez "destroyed" his treble-winning Inter Milan side in 2010, while pointing out the former Liverpool boss had not directly succeeded him at Chelsea or Real.

"The lady is a bit confused," said Mourinho.

"Her husband went to Chelsea to replace Roberto Di Matteo and he went to Real Madrid and replaced Carlo Ancelotti.

"The only club where her husband replaced me was at Inter Milan, where in six months he destroyed the best team in Europe at the time.

"For her also to think about me and to speak about me, I think she needs to occupy her time, and if she takes care of her husband's diet she will have less time to speak about me."

The relationship between the managers has been tense following a series of fall-outs during Mourinho's first spell in charge of Chelsea, when Benitez was at Anfield.