St. Louis: Chelsea players seem pleased Jose Mourinho appears headed back for a second stint as manager, even after he failed with Real Madrid. Midfielder Juan Mata said Wednesday prior to the first of two U.S. friendlies against Manchester City that the 50-year-old Mourinho is among the best coaches in the game.
"We don't know what's going to happen but if he comes he's welcome because he's one of the best," Mata said. "Chelsea always wants to be a top squad and if he comes we're going to be happy to have him." Mourinho was officially removed as Madrid manager on Monday, and while a move back to Chelsea is widely expected, there has been no official announcement.
Mata wasn't about to judge Mourinho's shortcomings with Real Madrid. He won the 2011 Copa del Rey and the 2012 league championship, but couldn't deliver the European Cup trophy the club craved. "You have to be there to understand everything," said former Valencia player Mata. "What I know is Madrid is a massive club and there's a lot of pressure, and it shouldn't be easy. All I can say is if he comes, we're going to try to do our best with him or with whoever to win the title."
Defender Branislav Ivanovic - who headed in the goal that won the Europa League final last week - said "for every player it's a big challenge to play for the big managers and to do everything, but all these
04:34 PM, May 23, 2013
Madrid: Real Madrid's Jose Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo were handed two-match bans in the King's Cup after they were sent off in last week's final at the Bernabeu, the Spanish football federation (RFEF) said on Wednesday. Mourinho was dismissed for vigorously disputing a refereeing decision in the 75th minute of Friday's 2-1 final defeat by Atletico Madrid. The Portuguese will not serve his punishment in next season's Spanish cup competition...
11:38 PM, May 22, 2013
Here is a look at the life and career of Jose Mourinho, the charismatic Portuguese manager, who will leave Real Madrid at the end of the season after reaching an agreement with the club on Monday to leave three years before the end of his contract: EARLY DAYS: - Jose Mourinho was born in January 1963 in Setubal, Portugal. - Following a modest playing career, he accepted a job in...
09:43 AM, May 21, 2013
Jose Mourinho will leave Real Madrid at the end of the season having once again produced some golden quotes. Here are some of the Portuguese coach's most memorable utterances over the years as well as what others have said about him. WHILE PORTO COACH: "The only thing that I want to say is that we are the best ones and in normal conditions we are more than the best ones....
09:00 AM, May 21, 2013
Madrid: A Copa del Rey final defeat against Atletico Madrid capped the worst season of Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho's career, the Portuguese said on Friday after the 2-1 loss left him without a major title this season. Widely expected to move on at the end of the campaign and linked with a return to Chelsea, a grim-faced Mourinho gave little away about his future but said Real, the world's...
09:18 AM, May 18, 2013
Madrid: Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho was sent from the bench for protesting a referee's decision in the second-half of Friday's Copa del Rey final against Atletico Madrid. The Portuguese reacted furiously when the official awarded a free kick to Atletico with around 15 minutes remaining at the Bernabeu, racing to the edge of his technical area and gesticulating wildly. Cristiano Ronaldo had put Real ahead in the 14th minute...
09:01 AM, May 18, 2013
Madrid: The Copa del Rey trophy was supposed to be coach Jose Mourinho's parting gift for Real Madrid, or at least a consolation prize after a season that will be remembered for his abrasive antics and his team's failure to win silverware. Instead, Atletico Madrid ended a 14-year winless run against their city rivals by taking the title on Friday, coming from behind for a cathartic 2-1 win in extra...
07:30 AM, May 18, 2013
Madrid: Better known for his tough tackles, powerful heading ability and nerves of steel when taking penalties, Sergio Ramos appeared in the conference room to represent the club and deftly handled a string of awkward questions. "If I am here it is for a reason. I can also answer questions just like the boss," Ramos said. "We are here to talk about football, and not about controversy or the future...
09:38 AM, May 17, 2013
Madrid: Jose Mourinho faces ending a season without a major trophy for the first time in a decade if his Real Madrid side fail to beat city rivals Atletico Madrid in the King's Cup final at the Bernabeu on Friday. Since starting out in his first full season as a coach with Porto in the 2002/3 campaign, through spells with Chelsea, Inter Milan and Real, the Portuguese has amassed two...
05:53 PM, May 15, 2013
Madrid: Real Madrid decided against holding their traditional pre-match news conference on Friday in an apparent attempt to defuse the war of words between coach Jose Mourinho and members of his squad. The nine-times European champions visit Espanyol on Saturday when a failure to win would gift leaders Barcelona their fourth La Liga title in five years. Even if they do triumph, Barca only need two more points to secure...
06:19 PM, May 10, 2013
Madrid: Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho sent out a clear message to former captain Iker Casillas that he will not be first choice keeper at the club while he is there. Casillas has had to be content with a place on the bench after recovering from the hand injury he suffered at the end of January with Diego Lopez, who was brought in to cover for Casillas, starting every game,...
01:06 PM, May 08, 2013
Cobham: Interim Chelsea manager Rafa Benitez has dropped a massive hint that Jose Mourinho will be returning to Stamford Bridge this summer. Benitez confirmed on Tuesday he would be leaving his temporary role with Chelsea at the end of the season by saying "the next year there will be another manager here. The Spaniard then added "I think everybody knows who will be here." The momentum behind Mourinho's probable return...
11:14 PM, May 07, 2013
Madrid: Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has refused to tone down his rhetoric in response to a call from club president Florentino Perez for unity in an obviously divided dressing room during the final few weeks of the season. After some unsavoury sniping between Mourinho and members of his squad in recent weeks, Perez made a rare foray into the limelight on Monday when he called for the club to...
08:05 PM, May 07, 2013
Barcelona: Cristiano Ronaldo headed in two goals to help Real Madrid beat Valladolid 4-3 in the Spanish league on Saturday, but the entertaining win was overshadowed by growing dissatisfaction with coach Jose Mourinho for criticizing the club. Madrid's ninth straight home win in league play denied Barcelona the chance to clinch the league title this weekend. Madrid reduced Barcelona's lead to eight points, meaning the Catalan side can't seal the...
08:40 AM, May 05, 2013
Madrid: Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho lashed out at his critics and suggested he was not being given enough credit on Friday amid widespread expectation he is poised to abandon the La Liga club at the end of this season. The outspoken Portuguese, who has hinted he may be on his way back to Chelsea despite having a contract with Real until June 2016, reiterated that he will decide his...
07:42 PM, May 03, 2013
Barcelona: Dethroned as Europe's dominant team, Barcelona can begin rebuilding their reputation by clinching the Spanish league title this weekend. Barcelona can secure their 22nd domestic title and their fourth in five years if they beat Real Betis at Camp Nou on Sunday and second-place Real Madrid drops points at home against Valladolid the day before. Barcelona and Madrid were both eliminated from the Champions League semi-finals this week. Yet...
06:47 PM, May 03, 2013
Barcelona: With both Barcelona and Real Madrid still smarting from their respective Champions League collapses, the talk is already turning to what changes can be made - maybe even need to be made - for next season. Both Spanish teams lost to German opposition in the semi-finals. Bayern Munich routed Barcelona 7-0 on aggregate, and Borussia Dortmund survived a second-leg loss to reach the final with a 4-3 combined score...
06:29 PM, May 03, 2013
Enfield: Tottenham Hotspur manager Andre Villas-Boas would welcome his mentor Jose Mourinho back to the Premier League next season, saying his return would be spectacular. Villas-Boas worked under Mourinho at Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan before deciding to forge a name for himself by taking on the coaching job at Portuguese club Academica. Mourinho, who parted company with Chelsea in 2007 having won two league titles, dropped heavy hints this...
08:41 PM, May 02, 2013
London: Continued speculation that Jose Mourinho is set to return to Chelsea "where people love me" cut little ice with interim manager Rafa Benitez who remains focused on guiding the London side to the Europa League final. Chelsea host FC Basel on Thursday holding a 2-1 lead from their semi-final first leg and Benitez is two matches away from claiming a European crown for a club he will leave at...
11:10 PM, May 01, 2013
Madrid: Jose Mourinho's possible departure from Real Madrid at the end of the season would leave club president Florentino Perez in a tricky position as he seeks an adequate replacement for the man he has constantly lauded as "the best coach in the world". Obsessed with winning the 10th continental crown that has eluded Real since 2002, construction magnate Perez hired the controversial Portuguese at great expense in 2010 after...
03:54 PM, May 01, 2013
