Berlin – The tactics of Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid against Barcelona last week came under more fire Monday from Switzerland coach Ottmar Hitzfeld, twice a Champions League-winning manager with Dortmund and Bayern Munich.
Uefa on Thursday announced it had launched a disciplinary inquiry into events surrounding Wednesday's unruly Champions League semifinal tie between Real Madrid and Barcelona.
One of the incidents being investigated is Mourinho's post-match outburst in which the Portuguese coach suggested referees always showed favouritism to Barcelona, who won 2-0 in Madrid to take a huge step towards the final.
“Luckily, Mourinho's destructive tactics, aimed solely at provoking and destroying the opponents' gameplan, did not work,” Hitzfeld wrote in German football magazine Kicker.
“Such a way of playing does not relate to the demands of Real, it's really shameful for Real Madrid. It harms the good name and image of this legendary club.”
Hitzfeld, just one of only three coaches to have won the Champions League with two different clubs – along with Mourinho and Ernst Happel, did not hide his disdain for the Portuguese coach.
“I've met him at Uefa meetings and his behaviour is faithful to his image: arrogant, haughty, chewing gum and somewhat of a boor.
“Barca should make him pay on the pitch,” he said in reference to Tuesday's return leg of the semi-final. – Sapa-AFP