Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini says the Premier League was better with Jose Mourinho involved.
Seven months after guiding Chelsea to the Premier League title, the Portuguese coach left the club by mutual consent on Thursday following a woeful start to the 2015-16 season.
Pellegrini admitted he did not always see eye to eye with Mourinho, but appreciates the qualities he brought to the top flight.
"Maybe in some ways it's difficult to understand, the manager who won two titles last season to lose their job," Pellegrini said.
"It's very difficult to have the same motivation in the season after you've won two trophies.
"It's a difficult situation. The Premier League has lost an important manager. Maybe I disagree with him on a lot of things but he's not my enemy. It's a bad thing for the Premier League.
"It's not for me to miss him but the Premier League will miss him. The Premier league is better with Mourinho.
"I manage the team in a very different way to the way he does but that doesn't mean he's not a good manager or important for the league."
