Mourinho wreaks Real Madrid havoc

8May 2013

Primera Division Spanyol

With Barcelona's title coronation imminent, Real Madrid's outspoken manager couldn't resist a few scathing digs at those around him...

At Chelsea and subsequently Inter, Jose Mourinho was famed for his father-like love for his players and fierce loyalty to those in the dressing room. However, a tempestuous three-year tenure at Real Madrid now looks set to end in bitter acrimony.

Mourinho, overwhelming favourite for the Chelsea job at around 1.3 and second favourite to arrive at Old Trafford after Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement announcement, poured further petrol on the fire he began in the wake of Madrid's Champions League exit to Borussia Dortmund last week.

The Portuguese boss followed up his candid post-match press conference comments, in which he all but pledged his immediate future to managing back in England, by launching scathing attacks on a few of his Madrid players and the club's former managers.

Firstly, he defended his achievements of reaching three Champions League semi-finals at the Bernabeu by reeling off the names of 18 previous managers who hadn't brought home the trophy either.

"Eighteen coaches in 21 years, five semi-finals. Meanwhile, that rubbish Mourinho got to three in three years. Three in three after five in 21 years? That shows that it is not easy. I repeat: I don't want to 'nearly' get there, nearly is nothing to me. But that league record is mine."

But his most stinging comments were reserved for dropped goalkeeper Iker Casillas, by directly suggesting that he should have brought in his replacement at the end of his first season instead of his second.

Mourinho then topped that this week with an even more blatant rant about Pepe, who he has dropped in favour of teenage centre-back Raphael Varane, after the Portuguese defender stuck up for Casillas, saying:

"It's very easy to analyse the thing with Pepe. His problem has a name, and that name is Raphael Varane. It isn't easy for a man aged 31 with a lot of experience behind him to be blown out of the water by a kid of 19."

Anything less than a win for Real over sixth-placed Malaga on Wednesday night, where with Los Blancos rated at 1.29, will see Barca lift the title with four games to spare.

Of course, Mourinho still has one more chance of securing another trophy before parting company at the Bernabeu when his side take on Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey final next Friday priced at 1.28 for glory.