Mourinho's press conference before Bayern Münich match

"I haven't made any changes at the club. I've just helped change, with the help of the players, the fact that Real Madrid hadn't reached this far in the Champions League for many years, and this is our second consecutive semifinal and we've only lost one of our last 22 games in the competition. We have to take a step further to reach the final."

"The greatest praise for a team is to say it plays like a true team, and that's what I think of Bayern Munchen. I think they are a great side with some players who are more special than others, like on all other great teams. Bayern are an optimum side that grew with Van Gaal some time ago and that plays phenomenal football now with Heynckes. They have the right to believe they'll reach the final."

"I have no doubts regarding the lineup I'll use tomorrow. I know who will play, who will be on the bench and who will watch the game from the stands. I've worked a lot on this match and I have no doubts. I usually like to be sure about the lineup before going to sleep the night before a match. I've already made my decision."

"Webb is a solid referee with great experience in this sort of game. We just expect him to do a good job and to make the right decisions. Our players will help in everything they can, but sometimes dubious penalties are awarded and may cost a team a defeat."

"I will not reveal anything regarding the lineup. I am well aware of who Kaka is and of his good performances in Champions League matches. It wouldn't be intelligent on my part not to use a player with such virtues. I count on Lass this season and the next. He wasn't called-up for the clash against Valencia and was free to do whatever he wanted."

"Equalling the goal record in La Liga isn't what's most important to me, but it is a beautiful thing and it proves the team wants to give spectacle and win every game. Let's hope this translates into winning a title this season."

"The opinion of men of football is more important than mine. Hoeness, Beckenbauer and others believe they are favourites and that we will be weary of them. We'll see what happens tomorrow."

"Numbers from previous meetings between both sides say nothing to me. Bayern have the motivation of maybe playing the final at their stadium and we're motivated to be in the semifinals a second straight year. I'm not worried about what happened between both teams in the past."

"UEFA handle security very well and I'm sure they'll have firefighters around to put out the hell we may experience in Munich. We should only focus on playing the game and Webb on officiating it. Bayern will play from the heart, but they also play good football. They have good players and the match, though tactical, will be good."

Cristiano proves he is the best in every match

Assistant coach Aitor Karanka talked to the press ahead of tomorrow's 20:00 match against Sporting Gijon.

"These players deserve to be champions because of their hard work and the adversity they are overcoming. We cannot fail against Sporting. It will be a very important match with a lot at stake for us. Taking three points will be vital."


"They defeated us at the Bernabeu last season and they are a dangerous opponent. A draw will not be enough for them because they need three points to avoid relegation. They will go all out for the match and that will make them dangerous. The match is of paramount importance and we won't use rotations. We didn't win our last home game and we have to win tomorrow."

"Cristiano Ronaldo has been in risk of seeing a fifth booking for two months and still hasn't. He always wants to play and tomorrow is no excepotion. He is intelligent and a player should never be afraid of being booked. There's no problem."

"The fight isn't between Ronaldo and Messi, but rather between two sides that want to win the title. Cristiano Ronaldo proves he is the best player in the world in every match. We are all aware of how important he is on the team."

"Every match is different. Ozil wasn't in top form for the previous game and Kaka had been training well, but we replaced him against Atletico because they are similar and Kaka wasn't feeling very comfortable."

"The squad is talking about tomorrow's match, about how difficult it will be and about everything that still lies ahead. If we manage to equal or break the 107 goal record in La Liga of the 1989/90 Real Madrid side we'll do so thanks to the hard work of our players."

"Jose Mourinho will speak whenever he has to, just as he's been doing so far. We take turns addressing the media. That's how we work. We find it normal, but it seems to surprise all of you."

Mourinho: "Benzema's goal is from out of this world"

"I like to see that all my men respond. It wasn't an easy game and both Granero and Albiol, who hadn't played for a long time, responded very well. This shows the strength of the group and of each individual player. We're all very happy with their performance, just like we were with Sahin's in Cyprus. It always makes us very happy to see men who don't usually play doing this well. As their coach, I wish to thank them for their performances."

"You never know what the score will be like. Benzema netted a goal that is out of this world in the first chance we got and Cristiano scored from a fantastic shot in our second chance. We did two things very well tonight: we adapted to Osasuna's style and we didn't lose our identity in attack. We did well overall and we reacted after Osasuna gained some strength with their goal."

"We hardly had any chances to score here last year, but Osasuna attacked more after we had a 3-0 advantage, leaving spaces for us to attack in. We therefore had many chances from counterattacks. It isn't normal to have so many chances here because games at this stadium are very even."

"Khedira is different and brings different qualities to the team. I chose Nuri in Cyprus and today I chose Granero. I try to use the best possible combinations regarding each player and match. I knew what to expect and decided to use Granero. It proved right and I am especially happy for Granero and Albiol. They gave a fantastic performance."

Mourinho: "Coaching Real Madrid is a fantastic and unforgettable experience"

"We are earning very good numbers, but some have achieved much more than me throughout the history of Real Madrid. My intention is to deserve more and to translate these numbers into titles. I would like to do more than I've done so far to have a small place in the history of the club."

"I'll use the best possible lineup tomorrow despite having a Champions League match on Wednesday. I will not give any player time to rest because of that match. I think Betis are a quality opponent. They have an intelligent coach who prepares well for each match and their crowd gives them all of its support. Everything points towards the match being difficult."

"I'm hopeful Benzema can play tomorrow, but we will not take risks with two months left in the championship. He is working very well and we have yet to see if he'll make the cut tomorrow."

"I felt fine at Inter Milan, but I thought I had to coach Real Madrid at some point in my career in order to feel I was at one of the greats. There are many positive aspects to the experience so far and some negative, like in everything else in life, but the experience has been unforgettable and fantastic, and it is allowing me to be better at what I do."

"It's hard to say which have been the best and worst moments for me so far. Pragmatically speaking, the best time is when you win a title and the worst when you lose, such as leaving the Champions League... Every victory is a good moment for me and every defeat is a sour point. I'd rather make general assessments and our numbers are currently good; they point towards us winning a title. We will try to keep up the good work to try to win the league for Real Madrid."

"I feel the support of those I work with and of the executives at the club. We all share the same vision. I cannot complain at all about the fans. I would only ask more from them for the team's sake, not mine, or for a player that may be having a rough time. I would like them to support the team more on the road. But I have nothing more to ask of them for myself. I'm only grateful."

"I'd like to think we'll win the league. If we don't it will be because Barcelona had a spectacular run in the last stretch and that we weren't able to keep up the good work and to have the same ambition. The championship is still open and there are many points at stake, but we believe we can stay this strong. I'm not saying we will win all of our games because we're sure to draw and lose some, but we want to reach the end of the campaign in a strong position."

Mourinho: "We will fight to the end in each game to win the league"

Jose Mourinho talked about tomorrow's match against Rayo Vallecano in today's press conference.

"We do not want to stray from our philosophy and must adapt to different circumstances. It's difficult to foresee what will happen in a game. I saw Rayo play at their stadium during the preseason many months ago. I've always seen goalkeepers experience difficulties when games are held around 16:00, but these things happen in football. The pitch is small within the allowed measurements and the grass is in bad shape, but it's isn't horrible. My team is my first concern, followed by the opponent and then everything else. We will fight to the end in every match to win the league and I believe we could see a great game tomorrow."

"I hope Rayo's supporters have fun tomorrow. They spent several years away from the First Division and therefore hadn't faced Real Madrid at home lately. I want them to enjoy thmselves and the time the game will begin suits them because they are used to it. It also seems the weather will be good. I just don't wish them to enjoy the final score. We don't expect their support, but that's part of football and I think everything that has to do with them supporting their team is phenomenal."

"Benzema will miss a couple of weeks for sure, while Di Maria may be more suceptible to injury because he is an explosive, fast and intense player who always plays and trains at a fast pace. It's easier for him to get injured than for a diesel sort of player."

"Coentrao faced CSKA and Marcelo played against Racing. Every match is important to me and I believed the one against Racing was more so than the one in Russia."

"I would like my men to be happy both here and on their national teams. I'd like them all to be called-up. Albiol never asked me to let him leave and we've never talked about anything of the sort. My Director General asked me if I wanted anyone to leave and I told him I didn't."

"Joselu will make the cut for tomorrow's match. He is Castilla's centre forward and the one who plays in that position. Morata either doesn't play or is positioned down the left wing. Whenever the reserve team uses a centre forward Joselu takes the spot."

"I would like Guardiola to decide what he believes is best for him. Regarding extending his contract with Barça or not, it's his decision and it will be the one that makes him happiest."

Mourinho is confident about the tour

Jose Mourinho analysed the draw against CSKA Moscow in the press conference following the match.
 "Their goal was frustrating, but we earned a good result I'd be happy to have in every knock-out tie in which we play the return leg at home."
 "Their strike has made them very happy and we were frustrated by it because we played for more and had chances to score more. Our opponent made things very difficult for us, but they did little to score or draw the match. They played a serious and tough game. They worked very hard."

 "Every game here has been the same for me. I won 1-0 with Chelsea and Inter Milan, but it was very hard in both encounters. It's always complicated over here. It seemed we would win 1-0 today, but they eventually drew a difficult fixture." 

 "Some goals come from set pieces and others don't. It's easy to see the mistakes you make by conceding some strikes, but it's harder in others. I don't know what was the case tonight. What I did manage to see was that Cristiano Ronaldo was clearly fouled upon before the equaliser. It's part of the game. The referee made mistakes for both sides."
 "Bringing Albiol on was a good option when they made a two-meter tall man play alongside Doumbia up front. It was a solid option to mark him in set pieces and seal the game. I very much liked his attitude on the pitch and how he interpreted what he had to do. I'm very happy with him.""I actually thought that if we were to sustain injuries we could have sustained up to three, but in the end only Benzema was injured."

Real Madrid training for Athletico Madrid match (Photo Gallery)

Real Madrid finished preparing for today's 20:00 CET derby against Atletico Madrid at the Bernabeu. Jose Mourinho had 21 of his men on hand plus youth teamer Mejias. Arbeloa and Kaka did recovery exercises.

The 19 outfield players did ball work after tackling stretching and warm-up exercises. Marcelo, Di Maria and Carvalho were amongst them; they trained with their teammates yesterday after missing the match against Dinamo Zagreb due to injuries.

Goalkeepers Casillas, Adan and Mejias trained with goalkeeping coach Silvino Louro. They played a foot-volley game to work on controlling the ball with their feet and head. They then proceeded to do specific goalie exercises.

Mourinho: "Olympique Lyonnais will be as serious and solid as ever"

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho faced the media ahead of the team's Champions League clash with Olympique Lyonnais which will kick-off tomorrow night at 20:45 CET at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.

"Real Madrid have always been an attacking-minded team and I hope it will remain a balanced team that plays for winning games either at home or away. It's normal that teams improve when they work a lot. We want to become stronger than we were last season but it's not going to be easy".

"What is important is winning against Olympique Lyonnais. We earned 10 points out of our first four matches last year and they helped us to qualify. It's not easy to win in the Champions League but we now already have 6 points. Winning the group might give us an advantage in the last-16 draw, but we want to qualify as possible as we can and get further than we got last year in the competition".

"It's possible to play with both Higuain and Benzema or only with one of them. Both players are playing well and the competition between the two improves the collective performance of the team. My objective is to unite and not divide. What's in the press is different; it's a debate about who is good and who is poor. My point of view is different, we win and lose as a team. We have different objectives".

"I'm happy with Varane. He already made his debut in the Champions at 19 years old and he could be a starter at Real Madrid. We are all happy with him".

Mesut Özil:"We will be better than Barcelona"

German international Mesut Ozil has claimed that Real Madrid will be stronger than Barcelona next season.

The capital giants finished four points behind Barca in the race for La Liga, and were also elminated from the Champions League at the hands of their rivals.

Speaking with Marca, however, Ozil claimed that Madrid have the capability to topple the Catalans next year, stating: "Barcelona have been playing together for several years, but next season we will be stronger than them. I am convinced we will win more than one title."

The 22-year-old, signed from Werder Bremen in 2010, is satisfied with life in La Liga, and praised coach Jose Mourinho for his role in helping to assist his integration into the team.

"At no time did I regret my decision, I really appreciate my participation for this club," Ozil said.

"He [Mourinho] is someone who talks a lot with great players, especially young people. He is not just the coach but also a friend."

Tv images show Pepe didn't touch Alves' leg (Video)

The play that changed the course of what was an evenly-fought match was not worthy of a red card

Much has been said and written concerning Pepe’s send-off against Barcelona in the first leg of the Champions League semifinal, but an image speaks louder than words and video from Realmadrid TV clearly shows the player only touched the ball. Thirty minutes remained in the match and the referee sent Pepe off with a direct red card following a lose ball dispute between Alves and Pepe. The rest of the play has been publically scrutinized far and wide. Alves, who obviously appears to be in pain, abandons the pitch on a stretcher. After consulting with one of his assistants, German referee Wolfgang Stark shows Pepe the red card one minute after the play took place. Once he saw the decision made by the referee, Alves made his way back onto the pitch in full stride.

It wasn’t the only controversial play of the match, however. Arbeloa and Pedro were involved in another incident. Thirty-nine minutes into the first half, the Madridista defender blocked Barcelona forward’s running lane. There was shoulder-to-shoulder contact, but no aggressive intent. Pedro fell to the turf and clutched his face, and the entire Barcelona bench stood up to continue protesting for the foul.

An ugly gesture that appears to have become a constant. Look no further than the images of the incident between Marcelo and Busquets five minute earlier; another lose ball and again, the Barcelona player ends up on the turf. It wasn’t Alves this time, but Busquets. The dive is just as obvious as Marcelo’s expression of surprise. Marcelo protects the ball with his body and Busquets goes over the Madridista defender's back and blatantly falls to the floor with his hands over his face. Another unsportsmanlike gesture and more fuel to the fire for the referee to deal with. It lasted for 90 minutes as millions around the world watched on the small screen.

The sports world cries out
Rio Ferdinand: "This diving is a joke/embarrassing. When Pedro watches that do you think he'll think, "What was I doing!?" Rugby players must laugh at football. If you ever see me go off on a stretcher then run back on to play, I give everyone on here the green light to him me with a two-footed tackle."

Michael Owen: "Alves' actions won't please many as if he had got straight up it would have been a yellow card, but Barça fans will be happy with his actions."

Rory Mcilroy: "Dani Alves, you are a disgrace. Roll about on the floor just a bit more!"

Chad Ochocinco: "I can't believe they just gave Pepe a red card for that."

Jose Mourinho interview after Barcelona match Champions League Video

"Why do they try to kill a tie that could end 0-0 after three hours?"

Jose Mourinho was visibly angy after his team's defeat against Barcelona.

"Why does this happen? Barcelona are a fantastic team. I don't understand why Pepe was sent off. It paved the way for Barcelona to finish the tie."

"I said nothing to the referee. I just laughed and applauded his decision without saying anything. I'd rather say no more because if I tell him and UEFA what I really think my career would end here and now. Since I cannot say it, I'll ask a question: Why? Why Ovrebo? Why Bussaca? We are talking about an absolutely fantastic football team. Why couldn't Chelsea reach the final two years ago? It was a miracle that Inter reached the final last year. Why kill a tie that could end 0-0 after three hours? I don't understand why."

Jose Mourinho interview after Barcelona match Champions League

"Why do they try to kill a tie that could end 0-0 after three hours?"

Jose Mourinho was visibly angy after his team's defeat against Barcelona.

"Why does this happen? Barcelona are a fantastic team. I don't understand why Pepe was sent off. It paved the way for Barcelona to finish the tie."

"I said nothing to the referee. I just laughed and applauded his decision without saying anything. I'd rather say no more because if I tell him and UEFA what I really think my career would end here and now. Since I cannot say it, I'll ask a question: Why? Why Ovrebo? Why Bussaca? We are talking about an absolutely fantastic football team. Why couldn't Chelsea reach the final two years ago? It was a miracle that Inter reached the final last year. Why kill a tie that could end 0-0 after three hours? I don't understand why."

"If it's already difficult to make a comeback on purely sporting grounds, it is absolutely impossible when our opponent is helped in this manner. It seems they must reach the final. I don't understand why such a fantastic team needs this. Football is a sport in which the same rules apply to all; then the best team wins. We will showcase pride and respect for our world of football in Barcelona. We will travel without Pepe, who did nothing wrong. We will travel without Ramos, who did nothing wrong. The coach won't even be able to sit on the bench and the aggregate score is against us. The system will kill us once more if we happen to score a goal and open up the tie."

"Our scheme had different stages for different moments in the game. We had to play together and then use a centre forward. Then I would use a number '10' behind the two forwards. It is the scheme for a 0-0 game, trying to capitalise on the frustration of our opponent. But the referee didn't let us unfold our plan. Barcelona's power should have been simply of a football nature. They have that power. Why use more?

"It disgusts me to live in this world," Mourinho said.

"Every semi-final, the same thing always happens," Mourinho said, alleging a conspiracy between Barcelona and UEFA because the Catalans had been awarded a favourable refereeing decision for the third consecutive UEFA Champions League semi-final.

"Why?



"I'll live my whole life with this question but I hope one day to get the answer.

"Why could Chelsea not get to the final two years ago? Last year to get to the final with Inter was a miracle. Why again in this game?"

"I don't know if it's publicity for (sponsor) UNICEF or (FIFA and UEFA head of referees committee Angel) Villar's influence in UEFA," Mourinho said.

"They have the power and no one else has a chance.''

Mourinho was scathing of Barcelona's accomplishments, which he said were tainted.

"Inside (the Catalans) are laughing and enjoying this thinking we're going to (the final at) Wembley," he said.

"But to win this way must leave a bad taste.

"I've won two Champions Leagues and I won them both on the field and they were with two clubs.

"We won with work, effort, sweat, fight and with a lot of work.

"Josep Guardiola is a fantastic coach - I repeat he is a fantastic coach - but he won the Champions with the scandal at Stamford Bridge.

"And if he wins again then it will be affected by today."

See the Whole Press Conference (Video)

Jose Mourinho press conference before Champions League El Clasico

 "We played great at the Bernabeu and in the Copa final, but we are up against a top-class coach and team"

Heading into the first leg of Wednesday's Champions League semifinal, Jose Mourinho discussed matters including the team's morale, a possible outcome at the Bernabeu and the role of the referee.

"It will be an evenly fought tie. There are no favorites. We played great at the Bernabeu and in the Copa final, but we are up against a top-class coach and team. We know that each competition is different and that each match has its own history. We always look for balance and find it. The team is relaxed ahead of the Champions League semifinal, but we have to put forth our maximum effort and avoid being influenced by what has already taken place."

"I don't know how Barcelona are morale-wise. Ours is the same has we not won the Copa final. Winning the Copa was great, but we began preparing for Valencia once the final was over and subsequently for this match. Both teams are just as excited and last year Barcelona's obsession stemmed from the fact that they could win the Champions League in the Bernabeu. Not this time. The final is at Wembley, where they already won a Champions League."

"There are no favorites for this tie. The two teams know each other well and both have players that have played in important matches and who know how to produce victories. Looking at the Shalke-Manchester semifinal and I don't see a favorite either."

"You never head to the Camp Nou with a secure lead. We beat Tottenham 4-0 and then had difficulty against Tottenham, which is a very good team but not Barcelona. Sometimes tendecies are broken, but it would be normal for everything to be up in the air for the return leg. A draw would be bad if we play better and have scoring chances. If it's the opponent that plays better, I would be happy going there."

"What is more imporant than who is refereeing is that we start a new cycle because there have been two groups of managers up until now: a quiet one who doesn't talk about referees and a louder one, such as myself, that criticized the referees when they make significant mistakes. We have entered a new era following the statements made by Guardiola and there is now a third group. He is the only one in it as he criticizes the right calls made by referees. I had never seen anything like it before. We will see if his supporters follow him into the group."

"I am a natural motivator. First I have to motivate myself and then I motivate my players. Before the Cup final all I told them was a statement made by Einstein: "There is a driving force more powerful than steam, electricity and atomic energy... the will." Not long ago I was speaking to a television channel and I told them that I am the same coach that lost 5-0 against Barcelona two months ago. I am a hard worker and I put in a lot of hours to help those around me. But I was the coach of this team two months ago, which is why I don't accept the notion that I have a magic potion."

Jose Mourinho:Elimination match expert

Mourinho has not lost an elimination match or tie in two years and has seen off 12 teams in doing so

Jose Mourinho knows what it means to win the big ones. The Real Madrid manager, who has won the last three knockout competitions he has competed in (Coppa Italia, Champions League and Copa del Rey), has not lost an elimination match over the last two years. Since joining forces with Inter and losing the Italian Super Cup 2-1 to Lazio, he has gone on to eliminate the last 12 teams: Livorno, Juventus, Fiorentina, Chelsea, CSKA Moskva, Barcelona, Lyon, Tottenham, Murcia, Levante, Atletico and Sevilla . Mourinho hopes to extend the run with a solid performance against Barcelona on Wednesday at the Santiago Bernabeu.

MOURINHO'S 20 MONTH RUN
Date	Match	Round	Competition
16/12/09	Inter 1-0 Livorno	Round of 16	Coppa Italia 2009/10
28/01/10	Inter 2-1 Juventus	Quarterfinals
03/02/10	Inter 1-0 Fiorentina	Semifinals (1st leg)
13/04/10	Fiorentina 0-1 Inter	Semifinals (2nd leg)
05/05/10	Inter 1-0 Roma	Final*
24/02/10	Inter 2-1 Chelsea	Round of 16 (1st leg)	Champions League 2009/10
16/03/10	Chelsea 0-1 Inter	Round of 16 (2nd leg)
31/03/10	Inter 1-0 CSKA Moskva	Quarterfinals (1st leg)
06/04/10	CSKA Moskva 0-1 Inter	Quarterfinals (2nd leg)
20/04/10	Inter 3-1 Barcelona	Semifinals (1st leg)
28/04/10	Barcelona 1-0 Inter	Semifinals (2nd leg)
22/05/10	Bayern 0-2 Inter	Final*
26/10/10	Murcia 0-0 R. Madrid	Round of 32 (1st leg)	Copa del Rey 2010/11
10/11/10	R. Madrid 5-1 Murcia	Round of 32 (2nd leg)
22/12/10	R. Madrid 8-0 Levante	Round of 16 (1st leg)
06/01/11	Levante 2-0 R. Madrid	Round of 16 (2nd leg)
13/01/11	R. Madrid 3-1 Atletico	Quarterfinals (1st leg)
20/01/11	Atletico 0-1 R. Madrid	Quarterfinals (2nd leg)
26/01/11	Sevilla 0-1 R. Madrid	Semifinals (1st leg)
02/02/11	Real Madrid 2-0 Sevilla	Semifinals (2nd leg)
20/04/11	Barcelona 0-1 R. Madrid	Final*
22/02/11	Lyon 1-1 R. Madrid	Round of 16 (1st leg)	Champions League 2010/11
16/03/11	R. Madrid 3-0 Lyon	Round of 16 (2nd leg)
05/04/11	R. Madrid 4-0 Tottenham	Quarterfinals (1st leg)
13/04/11	Tottenham 0-1 R. Madrid	Quarterfinals (2nd leg)

*Finals not counted

Mourinho has won 82% of the 22 knockout matches (not including finals) he has coached in over the last two years. His sensational record of 18 victories, two draws and only two defeats (one with Inter and one with Real Madrid) is a warning shot for Barcelona heading into the Champions League semifinals.

Jose Mourinho press conference before Valencia match

Jose Mourinho : "I feel better working for Real Madrid day by day"

Mourinho: "We have our limitations due to injuries and fatigue, but we will give Valencia all we have got"

Jose Mourinho was upfront about his future and also discussed Saturday's match during Friday's press conference.

"I am happy that our work is paying off and that people want to take the same direction that I want to take. I am always calm and I do not want to lose ambition. We are not just here for one year, but rather a lot more time. I feel better working for Real Madrid each day that goes by. Any news coming out of Italy is false and I want to continue working peacefully. We will be here this coming preseason to continue working. My teams are always better in the second season and I will work hard to ensure it happens here. I am certain that Real Madrid will be better in the second season."

"Having an injured player is always bad news for a team and a coach. We are upset that Khedira is hurt, but to say that he is done for the season is absurd. He cannot play tomorrow and I can all but guarantee he won't play on Wednesday either. He will miss both matches, but we hope he can return as quickly as possible."

"Lass missed Wednesday's match and Granero played 20 good minutes. Granero always responds well. We are upset that we don't have Khedira, but that is how our team is built and we will have an answer for his absence."

"Barcelona is a fantastic team that has won a lot, but they are not the champions of Europe. They are champions of Spain and they have a good chance to repeat. Just because they lost doesn't mean they are bad. I am stable in both good times and bad and I know we need to remain calm. We won an historic Cup against a very worthy adversary. What I will remember most, though, is our fantastic road to the title because we beat complicated teams like one of this season's greats, Levante; the runner-up, Atletico; and the champion, Sevilla. I will also remember the warm embrace from the president."

Jose Mourinho interview after El Clasico

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho could not hide his frustration at what he felt was poor officiating in the aftermath of the 1-1 draw with Barcelona in El Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The home side were reduced to ten men when Raul Albiol was sent off for a professional foul on David Villa, which resulted in a penalty converted by Lionel Messi.

"In the first-half, the two teams were equal. We played compact and kept our shape throughout. A win is a win and a draw is a draw but we will take the positives from this game," he said in his post-match press conference.

"What we want is to have equal decisions for both teams. The rules are the same and I am tired of playing matches with ten men. Raul Albiol will miss the cup final for a foul that was nothing."

The Portuguese coach felt that Daniel Alves should have been sent off for Barcelona after the Brazilian brought down Marcelo. And Mourinho professed that he would relish the opportunity to come up against a ten man Barca side.

"As usual, when it is ten against eleven, it is very difficult to play against a team like Barcelona. The referee's approach changed with the decision not to send off Daniel Alves. For once I would like to play against a ten man Barcelona."

Thoughts turned to Wednesday's Copa del Rey final with Mourinho urging the Real Madrid fans to get behind the team in the Mestalla, as well as sounding out a message to the officials:

"The support of the fans will be vital in the final. We expect the fans to respect the occasion and the greatness of both teams."

"It will be a game with more tension. We will try to win but it is different to a league or a Champions League game. Hopefully we will win and will be able to play on equal terms. Today, that was not the case."

Mourinho: "I will use the best possible team to win the derby"

Jose Mourinho addressed the media after training. He underlined the importance of the derby against Atletico Madrid and talked about the forthcoming UCL quarterfinals against Tottenham Hotspur.

"The respect we have for fans doesn't allow us to joke around in the derby. We will give our all at the Calderon and we'll see if that's enough. We wil try to showcase our quality. We are very motivated because it will be a very important match. Games preceding a Champions League match are difficult because you risk losing focus. Games following a a Champions League match are different and usually tinged by physical and phsyocological exhaustion. They are equally dangerous. The derby will be tough because we'll face a great team, but it will also be easier to play because everyone will give their all."

"Benzema is working very well. He has transformed himself. The merit belongs to him, to his teammates and to those who love him. Very little of it belongs to me and Zidane. Most of it is his. I'm very happy. I've always said he is a fantastic kid and it is a pleasure to see him perform the way he does now."

"Zidane's relationship with the players is growing. He isn't working full time yet, but we're are thinking about the possibility of him doing so. We've never hidden the fact that we are very comfortable and that our collaboration is good. He's helped Karim because there are certain similarities in their careers: they both had to arrive and adapt."

"Pepe is aggressive, but loyal. I don't think it's fair for everyone to watch him so closely. Cristiano would be fitter to play if the derby took place on Sunday. It's only natural he's not in top form after missing so many training sessions and playing 70 minutes against Lyon. Playing him would be a risk."

"I'm happy to face Tottenham because it will give me the chance to return to London and play at an English stadium again. I know how English teams think and I know their character; how they give blood, sweat and tears in every minute of every game. They defeated Inter Milan and eliminated AC Milan. They are having a great run in the Premiership and they've got a great coach."

Mourinho:"You can't control when players get hurt"

Mourinho: "The fact that we're fighting to win three titles makes it easy to motivate my players"

Jose Mourinho addressed the media prior to leaving for A Coruña with the team.

"Riazor will be a tough venue. Deportivo have only lost at home against Barcelona and Almeria. It's always been complicated for Real Madrid to win there, but the team managed to win last year after many years failing to do so."

"Canales was injured today during a training session in which players didn't come into contact with one another too much. You can never control when a player gets injured. There is no way to protect a player against injuries."

"Arbeloa is a player a coach can always count on. He is always available and concentrates hard regardless of how long he's on the pitch. He is always ready for the coach and the team. He is never the best player on the pitch, but that's not his role. He controls his opponent and is versatile. He is a team worker and I like him very much. I like all defenders and they're all doing well."

"My team is very motivated because we must win all three competitions. The fact that we're fighting to win three titles makes it easy to motivate my players."

"Only one of the eight teams that have played the first leg of the Champions League Last 16 won at home. Small details make all the difference."

"It's very easy to show my men a yellow card. Some teams never get booked for identical actions and others are less protected. You only need to look at the last two weeks in the Champions League to realise this. A yellow booking would be a red card for us."

"We are having a very good run in La Liga and we don't top the table only because of Guardiola's Barcelona. Pep is a very prestigious coach. The time one has coached isn't important; it's what you achieve that counts. Guardiola has done enough to be regarded as one of the best coaches in the world."

Cristiano Ronaldo: "I like to work with the best, and I consider Mourinho to be the best coach in the world"

Cristiano Ronaldo sat down with Antena 3. The player said the team must fight to win the league title and never believe the championship is lost.

"I play for the best club in the world and I have the best tem-mates in the world. We mustn't think the league is lost. We have to believe it's difficult to win, but also possible. We'll have to fight to the end. Barcelona are very strong, but so are we. We are going to fight."

"I think we are going to win the Copa del Rey final. We have to think we will; it would be better to stay home if we didn't. Barcelona are a great team, but we will do everything we can to win the Copa."

"The thought of not winning a title this year does not enter my mind. It could happen, but I'd rather not think about it. I'm optimistic and I'm convinced we'll achieve it by the end of the season."

"I consider Mourinho to be the best coach in the world. The titles he's won show how experienced he is. He is a natural born winner and everything is easier with him."

"My son has changed my life. I've got character and my own personality, but those who know me know how I really am. I'm always ready to listen to other people's opinion."