Inter going on!

LONDON (AFP) - Jose Mourinho insisted Inter Milan's 1-0 victory - 3-1 on aggregate - over his former club Chelsea in the Champions League on Tuesday was just reward for the perfect performance.

Mourinho savoured a moment of sweet revenge for his sacking as Chelsea boss in September 2007 as Samuel Eto'o's late goal at Stamford Bridge sent the Blues crashing out of Europe's elite club competition at the last 16 stage.

The Portuguese coach, who won five major trophies in three years with Chelsea, crafted a brilliant game-plan to frustrate Carlo Ancelotti's side and he admitted his Inter players carried it out to the letter.

"I am very happy because we won and we were the best team. Sometimes in football you win because you were lucky and sometimes you win because you are the best team from the first minute until the last. That is the perfect win. That team was my team," Mourinho said.

"I think everything was superior. Chelsea had reactions of frustration, of a team that felt the opposition was superior. Our team started the second half in an incredible way.

"We were the best team by far. Chelsea is a great team, we know that and we came here knowing very well the way they play. We knew that if you don't control the game by having the ball you have no chance.

"Every player performed at the highest level to win here, this must be almost a perfect performance. We deserve so much this victory, we were the best team."

Mourinho had promised not to celebrate if Inter won, but he leapt to his feet when Eto'o scored and then hurried down the tunnel at full-time to enjoy the moment with his players in the dressing room.

"I celebrated a lot in the dressing room when the game was over. It was a big victory for my team," Mourinho said.

"As I have said before, I am a professional, I love Chelsea, I love this stadium, I love these people but I am a professional.

"Who knows, in the future I may coach another English team and I will come here again as an opponent."

Ancelotti was brought to Chelsea by owner Roman Abramovich with the specific aim of ending the club's long wait to be crowned kings of Europe, but instead the Blues have bowed out in the last 16 for the first time since 2006.

The Italian has never been on good terms with Mourinho but he conceded Inter were well worth their victory and, with Abramovich perhaps in mind, he apologised for Chelsea's premature exit.

"Inter deserved to win. They played a very good game. They put strong pressure on our midfielders and we were not capable of playing how we wanted," Ancelotti said.

"We were never fully in control during the game. There were only a few moments when we could control it. I think we could play better.

"We are very sorry, but this is the reality. I am disappointed because we are out of a very important competition but I want to say best wishes to Inter because I have nothing against them or Mourinho."

The result was a tactical triumph for Mourinho but Ancelotti insisted he had not been out-witted by the Inter coach.

"I wasn't surprised by Mourinho's tactics. One thing I was surpised by was the hard work put in by the two wide players, Eto'o and Pandev," he added.

Mourinho wants respect!

Inter has beaten Juventus 2-1 in the quarter-finals of the Italian Cup competition (Coppa Italia), but coach Jose Mourinho has come out and defended his team counterpart Ciro Ferrara.

Ferrara is seemingly on his way out at the Turin giants, but the 'Special One' has called for some respect to be shown towards the former defender.

"We are men, and have families. It is not good what he is currently going through," Mourinho stated to Rai. "There is a lot of discussion about who will replace him, Zaccheroni, Benitez, but he deserves respect. In this moment in time, no-one respects him."

As for how the match played out, the Inter boss admits that it was tough until the first Nerazzurri goal was scored. But after that, it all became easier.

"The team started well during the match, but then Juventus scored early," he said. "We remained calm, and tried to forget what happened at the end of the first half."

"With Milito on, we played better. We knew that we were playing better than our opposition, and once the first goal was scored, it all became easier. It was a victory that was well-deserved," concluded Mourinho.

The Beneamata will now take on Fiorentina in the semi-finals.

source: Goal.com

I Pondered My First Home Defeat In Eight Years, says Mourinho

After watching his Inter side pull off a great escape to defeat Siena 4-3 after having twice gone behind to the Tuscan outfit, coach Jose Mourinho heaped praise on the Nerazzurri’s character.

“Malesani and I had a chat after the game. One was super happy because he just won a game that was lost and the other vice versa because his side played great but were leaving with nothing,” he declared to SkySports.

“I thought at first glance our free kick was non-existent, but Wesley stuck it away with a great strike.

“Today our side was at all sorts and I was given a massive blow after half time with the injury to Stankovic on his re-entry onto the pitch.

“We wanted to play the diamond but simply didn’t have the personnel to do so. Siena were better than us. They had a great counter attack and caused on numerous problems.

“At 3-2 I was pondering my first home defeat in eight years against Malesani’s Siena, and I thought at least it will come against a coach I like.

“What I must say however is that my men showed an incredible character to come back like that and win the game. I feel extremely sorry for Siena as they didn’t deserve to lose but unfortunately these things can happen in football.”

Mourinho will have to go to court

ROME (AFP) - Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho looks set to face a penalty for insulting a journalist after the Football League referred his case to the sporting justice disciplinary committee.

Following Inter's 1-1 draw at Atalanta in December, Mourinho allegedly screamed abuse at Corriere dello Sport journalist Andrea Ramazzotti.

Ramazzotti had strayed into a restricted area to listen in to interviews the official Inter TV Channel were conducting with players after the game.

According to press reports, Mourinho, who later claimed he had told Ramazzotti several times before not to come into that area beside the club's team coach, swore at the reporter.

Corriere, alongside several other major Italian newspapers boycotted Mourinho's next press conference in protest.

Mourinho is accused of having violated article 1 of the sporting justice code by "using hurtful language towards sports journalist Andrea Ramazzotti" and of having "grabbed him by the forearms".

Inter have also been called before the sporting justice to explain their employee's actions.

Mourinho has often found himself in hot water this season in Italy, twice being sent-off and serving one-match touchline bans.

Liverpools manager Rafa Benítez likes Chelsea without José Mourinho

Rafael Benítez has said any tensions between him and Chelsea disappeared when José Mourinho left Stamford Bridge. With neither man seeking to disguise their dislike for each other, fixtures between Chelsea and Liverpool came to carry as much edge as any game in the Premier League calendar. However, the Liverpool manager said that since Mourinho's sacking two years ago, he has enjoyed an excellent rapport with his successors."I have had a very good relationship with all of them," he said. "It was good with Mourinho at the beginning – but he changed when we started winning. That wasn't my responsibility. Carlo Ancelotti is very competitive but he does it with respect. He doesn't need to do these [mind games]. He is a professional."Luiz Felipe Scolari was a good professional, a nice person, someone you could talk with before and after games. He has a lot of experience and is a good manager."This will be the first time that Ancelotti and Benítez have met in anything other than a European Cup final – Milan gained revenge in 2007 for their stunning reverse two years earlier in Istanbul.Benítez said he was bemused by comments from the Liverpool defender Fábio Aurélio that at half-time in Florence on Tuesday night he had been as angry as his players had ever seen him. However, he admitted he was more annoyed at being two down to Fiorentina than trailing Ancelotti's Milan by three goals in the 2005 final."In Istanbul, we were in a final in my first year at Liverpool and we were 3-0 down so I couldn't be angry, I had to be positive. Maybe Fábio hasn't been with me for too many games. At half-time you have to react but my players know I will give analysis, solutions and advice rather than shouting too much. All I said is that from the manager down to the kit man we had been very poor in the first half."
source: guardian.co.uk

Mourinho's 10 most special spats with managers and other football figures

source: mirrorfootball.co.uk

10) Mourinho v Fergie I (February 2004)
There was many a sparring session between these two footballing titans during Mourinho's tenure at Chelsea but his best put-down of Ferguson came when he was still at Porto. After Mourinho's men had just knocked Manchester United out of the Champions League, Ferguson complained at Vitor Baia's over-reaction that got Roy Keane sent off...

Mourinho: "I understand why he is a bit emotional. He has some top players in the world and they should be doing a lot better than that. You would be sad if your team gets as clearly dominated by opponents who have been built on 10% of the budget."

9) Mourinho v Frank Rijkaard (February 2005)
After Chelsea were knocked out of the Champions League by Barcelona, Mourinho accused the Barca coach of fraternising with the referee Anders Frisk during the interval.

Mourinho: "Rijkaard was in the referee's changing room with him for five minutes. I know because my assistants were at the door while the meeting was going on. Later I ran into the referee and I told him I was going to make a complaint about him to UEFA after what had happened in the changing room. Frisk told me to go ahead as it would be his word against mine. When I saw Rijkaard walk into the referee's changing room I just couldn't believe it and it was no surprise to me when Drogba was expelled."

Rijkaard: "There was a lot of talking before the game and now surprisingly there is a lot of talking after the game. It is not good behaviour after a match."

Mourinho: "My history as a manager cannot be compared with Frank Rijkaard’s history. He has zero trophies and I have a lot of them."

8) Mourinho v Benitez I (March 2005)
Mourinho was apoplectic after Luis Garcia's controversial goal in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final at Anfield cost his side a place in the final.

Mourinho: "It was a goal from the moon. The linesman scored the goal. No one knows if that shot went over the line and you must be 100 per cent. I felt the power of Anfield, it was magnificent. I felt it didn't interfere with my players but maybe it interfered with the other people and maybe it interfered with the result. But you should ask the linesman why he gave the goal. The best team lost. After they scored only one team played, the other one just defended for the whole game."

Benitez: "I don't know whether it was a goal or not. But if the goal isn't given it could well be a red card for Petr Cech for the foul on Milan Baros, and a penalty."

7) Mourinho v Arsene Wenger (October 2005)
After Wenger answered questions about Chelsea's draw with Everton and subsequent Carling Cup defeat to Charlton, Mourinho took aim at the Frenchman.

Mourinho: "I think he is one of these people who is a voyeur. He likes to watch other people. There are some guys who, when they are at home, have a big telescope to see what happens in other families. He speaks, speaks, speaks about Chelsea. They need to work and try to improve. I don't know if he wants my job, I don't know. He loves Chelsea."

Wenger (on whether he would sue): "Have you seen the price of lawyers in England? They say 'Hello' and it's £100,000 before they shake your hand. I just wanted to see how it was perceived. I had to choose between my holidays and the case. I find in England that the law is very expensive frankly. Compared to France it looks, to me, unbelievable. I cannot see that statement to be malicious or vicious enough. For me the intention behind the statement is important. I came to the conclusion that it was not - I hope I am right - anything planned or malicious

6) Mourinho v Benitez II (April 2006)
Mourinho bridled at his side's FA Cup semi-final defeat to Liverpool.

Mourinho: "Did the best team win? I don't think so. In the Premiership Liverpool have no chance. "In a one-off game maybe they will surprise me and they can do it. In the Premiership the distance between the teams is 45 points over two seasons."

Benitez: "I always say that Abramovich has done a really good job at Chelsea That is the key."

Mourinho: "Liverpool are not a big team. To have not won the league for almost 15 years is not good enough."

5) Mourinho v Cristiano Ronaldo and Fergie (April 2007)
Frustrated at a goalless with Newcastle that left them three points adrift of Manchester United, Mourinho complained that unlike United, his side never gets penalties - to trigger of a spat with CR7.

Mourinho: "It is not possible [for] penalties [to be awarded] against Manchester United, and it is not possible [to get] penalties in favour of Chelsea. If somebody punishes me because I tell the truth, it is the end of democracy, we go back to the old times.

Ronaldo: "He always has to say something because he can't admit his failures. The whole world knows how Mourinho is. He always has something to say to gain attention, especially when he's not happy with the work of his players. He never recognises he is wrong."

Mourinho: "A player who wants to be the best in the world needs to behave well, to keep quiet and have sufficient honesty and maturity to verify that, against the facts that I have shown, there is no argument on his part. If he says that it is false that Manchester United have conceded penalties that were not given, it's lies. And if he is a liar he will never reach the highest level that he desires in football. It's not even a game between me and him. It's a game where a kid made some statements not showing maturity and respect. Maybe [it's his] education, difficult childhood, no education, maybe [it is] the consequence of that."

Ferguson: "It is really below the belt to bring class into it. Just because you come from a poor, working-class background does not mean you are not educated."

to be continued...