Barca row stiffens Mourinho resolve
Reuters - Friday 29 April 2011, 14:14
MADRID - Jose Mourinho is more
determined than ever to continue as Real Madrid coach despite
Wednesday's 2-0 Champions League defeat by Barcelona and the
disciplinary case he faces for his post-match comments.
"I have more desire to continue as coach of Real Madrid,"
Mourinho, whose side's next game is at home to Real Zaragoza on
Saturday, told a news conference.
"The (Real) shirt is white and white has meaning," the
48-year-old former Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan manager added.
"I am in very good shape. My health is perfect and I am working
as always."
Mourinho, who joined Real from Inter at the end of last
season, reacted to the dismissal of midfielder Pepe on Wednesday
by implying that UEFA and their referees favoured Barcelona.
As well as a probe by UEFA, the bad blood between the arch
rivals around their semi-final first leg at the Bernabeu
prompted each to file a complaint with European football's
governing body about the other.
Barcelona were also furious with Mourinho for belittling
coach Pep Guardiola's achievements, while Real accused the
Catalan club's players of play-acting.
Mourinho said on Friday he did not want to add to his
comments at a post-match news conference, which prompted UEFA to
open disciplinary proceedings against him.
"I don't want to speak about the issue for a simple reason:
a picture is worth more than words," he said, referring to the
thousands of published images of Pepe's challenge on Daniel
Alves that resulted in his sending-off.
"I have nothing else to say. I have said what I wanted,"
added Mourinho, who has been widely criticised for using
ultra-defensive tactics in a home tie and failing to field
creative players such as Kaka and Gonzalo Higuain.
"Whoever criticises my words criticises the pictures and
must think the photos are photoshopped and the videos are
altered. I have absolutely nothing else left to say."
QUESTION ASKED
While Real issued a statement on Thursday backing Mourinho,
who has been linked in various media with a move back to England
or Italy at the end of this season, the reaction to his comments
has been mixed.
Alejandro Blanco, the president of the Spanish Olympic
Committee (COE), was quoted as saying in local media that the
Portuguese had betrayed the values of his club.
"All I did was ask a question," Mourinho said on Friday.
"Why? That was my question. Probably I would die if I tried to
give the answer.