Mourinho continues to boycott pre-match press conferences

ROME (AFP) - Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho will continue to boycott pre-match press conferences ahead of this weekend's crunch clash with AS Roma, his team said Thursday.

Mourinho has skipped his press appointments before and after matches for the last five Serie A encounters since he was hit with a three-game touchline ban for making a handcuffs gesture to television cameras.

The former Chelsea boss made the sign during his team's 0-0 draw at home to Sampdoria last month, after Inter had been reduced to nine men before the break.

The Portuguese's only public comments have come before and after Champions League matches.

Mourinho has been villified in the Italian press this season and a relationship of mutual animosity has developped between him and the media corps.

Now he sends players to speak to the press instead of appearing himself, such as following Wednesday's 3-0 win over Livorno when centre-back Ivan Cordoba spoke to the media.

Inter lead the Serie A table by four points from AC Milan and Roma with eight games remaining but should the champions lose in Rome on Saturday, there would only be a point between the top two.

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.”

Vieira leave Inter, Mourinho wishes him good luck

ROME (AFP) - Patrick Vieira's departure from Inter Milan was confirmed on Wednesday after coach Jose Mourinho said the French midfield veteran had played his "last game" for the Italian champions.

Vieira, who is being tipped to join Manchester City, was given a rare start for Inter because of several absences in midfield.

The Serie A champions beat Chievo 1-0 thanks to a Mario Balotelli goal in the 12th minute to stretch their lead over city rivals AC Milan to 11 points.

"Today we had a few problems but I have a team full of professionals who went out and did a remarkable job," Mourinho told Sky Sport.

"I should have good words to say about everybody but the only person I want to talk about is Vieira, who has played his last match for us.

"He had an impeccable game. It was the perfect farewell to us, and I want to wish him all the best for his new career."

Vieira, 33, has had a shaky past three seasons at Inter Milan and, now on the fringes of the France team, he is desperate for first team football to boost his chances of featuring in Raymond Domenech's World Cup squad.

Reports this week suggested City have been in talks with Inter over signing Vieira, who has also had the rule run over him by former French champions Lyon.

Mourinho said he believes Vieira, who at the end of the match hugged several of his team-mates, was definitely returning to the English Premier League.

"He hasn't said a word to anybody but he has mentioned the English Premier League," added the Portuguese.

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini, who coached Inter when Vieira first arrived following a year with Juventus, said on Monday he was interested in taking the former Arsenal midfielder on loan till the end of the season.

Arrogant quotes by Mourinho

The best team lost. After they scored only one team played, the other one just defended for the whole game. [on losing to Liverpool in Europe]

It was a goal that came from the moon - from the Anfield stands [defeat against Liverpool in the Champions League]

I am not concerned about how Chelsea are viewed morally. What does concern me is that we are treated in a different way to other clubs. Some clubs are treated as devils, some are treated as angels. I don't think we are so ugly that we should be seen as the devil and I don't think Arsene Wenger and David Dein are so beautiful that they should be viewed as angels.

Buying players for Chelsea is the hardest job in the Premier League.

I can say to him in the next 10 years we will compare trophies at Chelsea and at Liverpool. And he will lose.
[on Steven Gerrard]

We spoke yesterday so for me that is enough. If he understands me now, life will be easy for him, if he still doesn't understand me, then he must have another IQ test [on criticism by Ricardo Carvalho]

We have eight matches and eight victories, with 16 goals, but people say we cannot play, that we are a group of clowns. This is not right.

Something worth RESPECT!

Mourinho is currently on a run of 123 home league matches unbeaten (38 with Porto, 60 with Chelsea and 25 with Inter). His last and only home league defeat came when Porto were defeated 3–2 by Beira-Mar on 23 February 2002.