Madrid slam Federation over Mourinho article
Reuters - Wednesday 19 January 2011, 17:23
MADRID - Real Madrid issued a sharply
worded statement criticising Spain's football federation (RFEF) on
Wednesday for what the club called a lack of respect and
objectivity over an article mentioning coach Jose Mourinho.
The club were responding to a piece on the RFEF website
saying Real's game at Atletico on Thursday would be "under the
close scrutiny of Mourinho, who feels he has been mistreated by
officials in recent league matches."
Real issued an official statement to express their
"indignation" at the wording, which was not the same in the
latest version of the article on Wednesday.
"We consider it enormously serious that these remarks about
our coach were made on the Federation's own website," Real said.
"They clearly demonstrate a prejudice that is a long way
from the objectivity, neutrality and balance which should inform
the organisation's official publications.
"We demand action is taken for what we believe is a lack of
respect and consideration to the coach of our team, the club
itself and the fans."
Real won the first leg of the King's Cup quarter-final tie
against Atletico 3-1.
CALM SITUATION
The RFEF moved quickly to calm the situation, with a
spokesman telling Spanish radio the article had been written by
an intern and in no way represented the federation's opinion.
"We should not be making value judgments in the federation,
but on our website there are interns who write," spokesman Jorge
Carretero said.
"As soon as we saw it we took it down," he added. "It's
absolutely not from the federation."
Mourinho, renowned as an outspoken figure, was banned for
two matches this season for verbally abusing a referee.
At a news conference on Wednesday, the Portuguese repeated
his view that Real had been denied what he felt were two clear
penalties in Sunday's 1-1 draw at Almeria which left his side
four points adrift of La Liga leaders Barcelona.
"I do not doubt the honesty of referees but there are some
things that are obvious and that people who are not hypocrites
have no problem in admitting," Mourinho said.
"There were decisive penalties in the match that weren't
given and this is not a criticism but something obvious."