Jose Mourinho was banned by UEFA for five champions league games following his outspoken criticism of referees after Real Madrid's loss last week in Madrid. One of the bans will be suspended for three years. As he was already red carded during the game, he had to sit out and not watch his team fall again finally on tuesday in the second leg at the Camp Nou, 1-1 (Barça 3 - R. Madrid 1 agg.).
After dropping the first game in Madrid, Mourinho sensing the impossibility of victory in the champions league opened his mouth wide and let fly:
"It's clear that against Barcelona you have no chance.
"I don't understand why. I don't know if it's the publicity of UNICEF [the club's shirt sponsor], I don't know if it's the friendship of [Spanish football federation president Angel Maria] Villar at UEFA, where he is vice-president, I don't know if it's because they are very nice, but they have got this power. The rest of us have no chance."
He went on to temper the achievements of Guardiola--who in nearly three seasons as coach has brought Catalunya two Copa del Reys, two la Liga championships (soon to be three barring some unforeseen extraordinary catastrophe in the next few weeks), a FIFA World Club Cup, and a Champions league cup--the second to be played for in three weeks at Wembley.
"Guardiola is a fantastic coach, but he has won one Champions League which I would be ashamed to win after the scandal at Stamford Bridge and this year, if he wins it again, it will be after the scandal at the Bernabeu."
In fact, the sole sour note of last year's season for the Blaugrana came from their elimination from the Champions league by Mourinho's men at Inter Milan. Though Barça finished the season with two championships and a record point total of 99, the missing Champions league cup stuck out to the team that felt undeniable in so many ways.
People have been murmuring against the Catalans for a while--the mountains of praise heaped upon them has made the team a target for those who resent their dominance. Mourinho has become that sector's bullhorn, albeit with his own interests in mind.
Still, his ideas have cost him with many in football's hierarchy, including some of the royal elders at his own club. Football legend and honorary Madrid president Distefano criticized Mourinho's coaching style and the team's lack of personality. The personality Madrid fail to exhibit on the pitch is instead on full ranting display in their press conferences. With a team assembled at a cost of over 600 million euros, the frustration is understandable.
Unfortunately for Mourinho, the only philosophy he has for getting out of the pit is to keep digging...
In less sensational UEFA-banning news, Jose Pinto, Barça's reserve keeper, was banned for three games following his tussling with Madrid as the teams left the pitch for half-time at the Bernabeu. Earlier in the season, he was banned for whistling to mislead a Copenhavn forward into believing he was offsides. He's a real hot-head who had a great run in the Copa del Rey (his domain for the majority of the season) until the one costly goal against them in the final.
Barça have stated they will appeal the ban.
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