inho: Real Madrid would be champions in any other competition

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho feels they deserve great credit for leading Barcelona in the standings.

Barca are returning to Spain as world champions this week.

"If you can compete with them, beat them for a title, be above them, gain more points than them in 2011, this also has merit," said Mourinho.

"If we had a lesser opponent, the job would have been easier. If Madrid had played in another league, we would have won it easily."