Mourinho complains about calendar after draw
Reuters - Sunday 27 February 2011, 00:08
MADRID - Jose Mourinho hit out at Spain's
football authorities after the 0-0 draw at Deportivo La Coruna on
Saturday, saying his Real Madrid players had not been given
enough rest after Tuesday's Champions League match.
The dropped points at Depor's Riazor stadium enabled
Barcelona to stretch their lead at the top of La Liga to seven
points with 25 games played after the champions won 3-0 at Real
Mallorca in Saturday's earlier kick-off.
Mourinho, whose side drew 1-1 in their Champions League
last-16, first leg at Olympique Lyon on Tuesday, told a news
conference it would have been easier on Real if they had been
allowed to play Depor on Sunday.
"I don't know what would have happened if we had played on
Sunday but it would have been fairer," the Portuguese said.
"We could have given an extra day off to those who were most
tired, we could have trained an extra day," he added.
"The calendar is set by people who know what they are doing.
They do what they want and they will carry on like that."
Real, who twice struck a post late on, face a stiff task to
catch Barcelona and end their great rivals' two-year reign as
Spanish champions.
However, Real director general Jorge Valdano said it would
be absurd to give up on the title with 13 matches remaining and
39 points still available.
"Nobody gives up on the league in February so we will keep
on fighting and see if we have a bit more luck in the next few
matches," the former Argentina international said in a
television interview.
"The team played with a lot of intensity as usual but we
were unable to find the net," he added. "We weren't clinical
enough in front of goal and we were also lacking in luck."