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."

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 interview before El Clasico

Jose Mourinho addressed the media the day prior to facing Barcelona in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals.

"The best possible result against Barcelona is to win the tie. The team that's eliminated from the Copa del Rey will play two less games in February and we actually want to play those two fixtures.

"Cristiano Ronaldo did a great job against Mallorca. He scored many goals one and a half years ago, as well as many hat-tricks. We also won a title with a goal of his. 

But I've felt most happy and proud of him with the job he did in the second half against Mallorca. He worked like an animal and did what the team needed. He was exhausted from working so hard and making so many steals. The team is most important and I told him he didn't need to score if he worked like that."

"Di Maria will be on the squad list. He's not as fit as we had hoped. We don't have the best feeling about things, but we'll have to wait. He's made the cut, but I'm not going to announce my lineup because I don't know whom I'll use yet, although I wouldn't hint at things either if I knew. The league is our priority and I'm not going to say different from that."


"It's possible, and necessary, that Carvalho reappears in January. Ramos and Lass have four bookings each and many players, such as Pepe, Arbeloa and Fabio, have three. They are all necessary. Carvalho will be ready to respond when needed."

"Barcelona are a great team and a formidable adversary regardless how many defenders they use against us. My relationship with Barcelona is as it's always been. I don't have a problem with them; I never have."

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 Valencia match

Jose Mourinho interview after Copa del Rey Final

Mourinho: "I am proud of my team, the fans and my people"

Jose Mourinho appeared calm during his turn to speak following Real Madrid's Copa del Rey title win and the manager revealed his immediate reaction when the referee blew the final whistle. "I went to the dressing room to call my family and rest a little. I wanted the players to enjoy it. I am tired, but happy," he commented

"It was an evenly-fought match. We were better in the first half and they were better in the second. Casillas responded very well. We made very few mistakes in what was a very serious match. The players were very focused and knew what to do. We played our lines tight in extra time and I think Barcelona were a little tired psychologically. Whoever scores first in extra time tends to win. It was a great football match."

"It is always good to win titles. Someone called me a 'Title Coach' a few days ago. I like the name. That is my job. I am proud of my team, the fans and my people. This is my fourth Cup win and I am very proud."

"This match has nothing to do with that we will see in the Champions League. Each will be different. We will see what happens between two great teams over the course of two matches. Anything is possible."

"My job at Real Madrid this season goes beyond winning titles. I am changing other important things. I am very relaxed and very happy right now. It is good to start off by winning titles and it lifts a big weight of the players' shoulders, but I have a lot of experience in this and according to the newspapers I should have played with six forwards. We played like we played, and did so against a great team, which makes what we did that much better."

Jose Mourinho interview before El Clasico Copa del Rey Final

Mourinho: "I hope we see a nice match and that everything in the stands and on the street goes down without incident"

Jose Mourinho fielded questions from the media ahead of Wednesday's Copa del Rey final against

"I don't want to say anything out of the ordinary because there is never a favorite in a final. Both teams have the same chance of winning. I hope we see a nice match and that everything in the stands and on the street goes down without incident. These are typical words before a final, but I truly believe them. I have played in many finals against teams that have been either inferior or stronger than mine, but they have all been evenly-balanced. That is the natural tendency of finals."

"This is my first final with Real Madrid, but I am relaxed. I have experienced many matches like this one, which is why I am a lot more calm than a coach who has never been here before. Our confidence lies in our work to reach success in the form of titles. If we win, great. If we don't, we will continue working."

"We will play with a center forward, four on the back line, three midfielders and three forwards. We want to attack and score when we have the ball, while without it we must defend like a team. It implies that the entire team must be active in working both facets."

"I am 100% committed to my job, which is why I believe the president chose me. There are those who don't agree with my decisions, but I am the coach and my job is to make them."

"This match will have nothing to do with that seen on Saturday. You never know what direction a match may take. We will have to see how things go and only then evaluate. Whoever plays or doesn't play for Barcelona is not our problem. Our game plan was decided yesterday."

"There is no need to motivate players before a match as nice as this one. We want to win. We all know Real Madrid's history, so winning is expected and it is what we will try to do."