Madrid – Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho insisted on Saturday that rumours of dressingroom discord were untrue.
The 49-year-old Portuguese slammed the press for speculating that the dropping of Spanish two-time Euro and World Cup winning defender Sergio Ramos for last Tuesday's Champions League match with Manchester City was due to a falling out.
“THere are no conflicts in the dressingroom,” said Mourinho, who on Monday had accepted the blame for Real's poor start to La Liga campaign.
Mourinho, whose side claimed a late 3-2 win over City leading to exuberant celebrations by him, laid into the media for not feting young French defender Rapahael Varane's performance in the City clash after he was preferred to Ramos.
“I don't understand,” said Mourinho, who despite his claims that there was nothing amiss with his relations with Ramos had him training with the replacements on Friday.
“You are astonished that Varane was not playing at all before the match, you spoke of his sadness at that.
“And then after the match when the 19-year-old 'youngster' performs brilliantly against City you don't speak about it.
“You have a tendency to speak about those who are not playing which I find incomprehensible.”
Mourinho was speaking on the eve of Real's trip to Rayo Vallecano with them trailing arch-rivals Barcelona - who are at home to Granada on Saturday - by eight points after four matches. – Sapa-AFP