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Mourinho: I fear Juventus in the Champions League
Dec 29, 2012 9:15:00 AM
The Blancos boss compared the structure of the Italian champions' side to that of his triumphant 2004 Porto team, and revealed he has been contemplating his own future
| Bet: | Returns: | Real Sociedad £27.00 | Draw £38.00 | Real Madrid £25.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Real Sociedad £25.00 | Draw £35.00 | Real Madrid £26.20 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Real Sociedad £26.00 | Draw £34.00 | Real Madrid £26.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Real Sociedad £26.00 | Draw £36.00 | Real Madrid £25.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Real Sociedad £25.00 | Draw £35.00 | Real Madrid £26.20 |
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The Serie A champions finished top of a difficult qualifying group to progress to the knock-out phase, and the Portuguese boss has acknowledged that Antonio Conte's side will be tough to beat in this season's tournament.
"I'll be honest: I do not like [Juventus] because I'm afraid of them," he said in an interview with Tuttosport. "And I say that Conte's team can win the Champions League.
"It is a collective, an extremely compact, solid, almost unsinkable ship. Missing a top player in attack? That's just as well, I believe. This means that the goals can come from anywhere and at any time: a midfielder, a striker from outside the box. I mean it: it does not matter if there is a [Karim] Benzema or [Gonzalo] Higuain in a team structured like that.
"This reminds me of my Porto in 2004. And if anyone, by chance, had forgotten, Porto won the Champions League final in Gelsenkirchen."
Mourinho's future at Santiago Bernabeu has been shrouded in uncertainty of late, with los Blancos having all-but surrendered their Liga crown to Barcelona amidst a string of controversial incidents, the latest being the decision to drop Iker Casillas from the side.
The former Chelsea trainer admitted he has been forced to reflect on his future after recent events, but stressed he remains committed to the Spanish capital club as they strive for their 10th European crown.
"After the defeat last Saturday in Malaga I've got to think long and deeply about my situation and Real Madrid," Mourinho continued. "I spent Christmas in Portugal with my family and now I'm here in Dubai where I said goodbye to many friends.
"And I came to one conclusion: football changes, changes, changes, virtually every day, every minute, almost every second. But there is only one thing that does not change: the team is always the coach."
When asked whether he would bid an early farewell to Real Madrid, he added: "I'll answer by quoting a phrase of Sir Alex Ferguson: 'I'm too old to quit.' And I, if I may, I am still too 'young' to do so.
"My stated goal is to win a third Champions League with three different teams: with Real after Porto and Inter. No one has ever succeeded. And for Real Madrid it would be the 10th Champions League, the only team to reach double digits."
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Live!
Champions League final - LIVE!
German giants Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will battle it out at Wembley for European glory. Get involved by sending us your thoughts via Twitter or Facebook! Hosted by Mark Doyle.
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However, who doesn't feel anything by admiration for Jupp Heynckes? The Bayern coach learned earlier this year that he would be replaced by former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola earlier this summer but did he let it affect him? Not a bit, with Heynckes now on the verge of a historic treble. Worth noting, too, that Heynckes, who led Madrid to the title in 1998 before being replaced by Fabio Capello, has never failed to reach the final of any Champions League in which he has taken part.
5:07 PM BST
Klopp, of course, is the new darling of the football media. It’s pretty damn impossible not to love a man who speaks so passionately - and amusingly - about the game. This week alone he admitted that so distraught was he by the news of Gotze’s imminent departure for Bayern, whom he views as the villain in a James Bond movie, that he had to cancel plans with his wife to attend a movie premiere because he didn’t want to have to talk to anyone. Seriously, how could any real football fan not be a 'Klopptomist'?!
5:03 PM BST
We’re still awaiting the confirmed line-ups but if you’re looking for the likely starting 11s, let me point you in the direction of our match preview. Also, if you want an excellent and entertaining analysis of tonight’s fascinating final, well, how does a James Richardson-hosted debate involving Jonathan Wilson and Paulo Sousa tickle your fancy? The prince of puns, a true titan of tactical thinking and a two-time Champions League winner - a veritable dream team, I think you'll agree.
4:59 PM BST
The injury-enforced absence of Dortmund’s Bayern-bound playmaker, Gotze, is of course the principal talking point in terms of team news. The 20-year-old’s unavailability is clearly a hammer blow for die Schwarzgelben, but, as team-mate Kevin Grosskreutz pointed out this week, Dortmund destroyed Bayern in last year’s DFB Pokal final without Gotze.
4:54 PM BST
But what do the fans think? Well, yesterday Goal’s roving reporter Kris Voakes went along to the Uefa Champions Festival, which is being staged at the Olympic Park in Stretford, and he spoke with supporters from both sides.
Johannes, Munich, told Goal: "We haven't lost to Dortmund this season, and though we lost two finals [in 2010 and 2012], we are hoping the third time is a charm.
"Last year the English stole our trophy," interrupted his friend Benjamin, "but we are going to take in back to Munich where it belongs."
But Dortmund fan Nicolas says the loss of Mario Gotze to injury is not too much of a concern for Jurgen Klopp's side: “We have Marco Reus and Robert Lewandowski, and yes, we will be fine without Gotze. We will win 2-0.”
Johannes, Munich, told Goal: "We haven't lost to Dortmund this season, and though we lost two finals [in 2010 and 2012], we are hoping the third time is a charm.
"Last year the English stole our trophy," interrupted his friend Benjamin, "but we are going to take in back to Munich where it belongs."
But Dortmund fan Nicolas says the loss of Mario Gotze to injury is not too much of a concern for Jurgen Klopp's side: “We have Marco Reus and Robert Lewandowski, and yes, we will be fine without Gotze. We will win 2-0.”
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