Mourinho: Doesn't matter who Man Utd draw in the Champions League

Jose Mourinho says he isn’t concerned about who his Manchester United side will draw in the Champions League last 16.

The Red Devils qualified for the knock-out stages by finishing second in Group H behind Juventus, missing the chance to win the group after losing 2-1 at Valencia in midweek.

That, in theory, means United should face a tougher draw as they will play one of the group winners.

Mourinho isn’t concerned however, saying he doesn’t really care who his side will play when the tournament resumes next year.

“You look forward to Monday, I don’t,” Mourinho told MUTV. “Really it’s not something that keeps me with an eye on the television. We know that the last 16 has lots of good teams, even the teams that finished first are not relaxed.

“They know that they can get a very difficult opponent that finished second in their group. There will be a big match at Old Trafford to start, it doesn’t matter which opponent it is [against], so I’m relaxed and more focused on Liverpool and then Cardiff than on the draw.”

Next year marks 15 years since Mourinho’s first Champions League triumph with Porto – one of United’s potential opponents in Monday’s draw.

The Portuguese side famously knocked out Man United on their way to the final, with Mourinho reacting to their late winning goal by darting down the Old Trafford touchline to celebrate with his players.

Mourinho, though, isn’t thinking about an emotional reunion with his old side while also dismissing suggestions that the Portuguese champions would represent a kind draw.

“I don’t [think about it],” added Mourinho, when asked about the possibility of facing Porto. “I think, probably, people look at them in the middle of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund and think they are a good one to get [drawn against]. I don’t think so at all.

“I think that was the feeling 15 years ago that Manchester United had and Manchester United, full of stars, were knocked out and Porto were in the next round. I really don’t look forward to playing against them because I know they are a very good team.”