Luka Modric has named Jose Mourinho as the toughest manager of his illustrious career, claiming the legendary boss is so intense that he once made Cristiano Ronaldo cry in the Real Madrid dressing room. The Croatia and AC Milan midfielder has worked under several world-class coaches during his sparkling spell in football, but he has labelled the Portuguese as the strictest of them all.

Jose Mourinho launched into an extraordinary sarcastic rant after Benfica's 2-2 draw with Braga, as he refused to accept the result, and instead insisted his side won 3-2. Controversial refereeing decisions were at the centre of his complaints, as Braga scored an equaliser after being awarded a penalty for handball, and Benfica's potential winner was ruled out for what appeared to be a soft foul in the build-up.

A lot of leagues and competitions take the festive period off but there was no break for players in England, Italy and Portugal over the weekend, while the action at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco resumed on December 26. The Premier League's top two, Arsenal and Manchester City, both picked up hard-fought wins on Saturday but Aston Villa remain very much in the title race after a massive win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Jose Mourinho has fiercely rejected the suggestion that his career has been defined by "mind games" and media manipulation, insisting that his global reputation was built solely on his extensive trophy cabinet rather than "saying stupid things" during press conferences. The Portuguese tactician, currently enjoying a resurgence with Benfica, offered a fascinating insight into his communication strategy, revealing that his public comments are merely an extension of his dressing room talks.

Jose Mourinho has been hailed as a genius, with former Benfica striker Dean Saunders explaining his “spoil” tactics to GOAL. The self-anointed ‘Special One’ is, however, considered to face plenty of challenges in modern day management due to player power - with it being pointed out that delivering a “rollicking now is dangerous” and can lead to sackings.