Champions League: Mourinho fights back

GALATASARY v CHELSEA

Jose Mourinho went on the attack yesterday after a private conversation criticising Chelsea’s strikeforce was broadcast on French TV.

The Blues boss was embarrassed by the comments, aired by Canal Plus, which lamented his team’s lack of goals and suggested Samuel Eto’o was actually older than 32. 

Before his official interview, the Blues boss was recorded as saying: “The problem with Chelsea is I lack a striker. I have Eto’o but he is 32 years old, maybe 35, I don’t know.”

Speaking ahead of tonight’s clash against Galatasaray, who have former Chelsea goal hero Didier Drogba in their ranks, Mourinho said the actions of the media in this case were a ‘disgrace’.

In his pre-match press-conference, he said: “It was a funny conversation with somebody that doesn’t belong to the football world.

“It is a disgrace that someone is taping a private conversation.

“I’m not defending what I’m saying. I’m attacking something that is, I think, fundamental in your [media] professional area and that person showed exactly what he is or what he does not know about the job.

“From my perspective, the comment is not obviously a good one, not one I would do in a serious way, not something I would do in an official way in an interview. 

“First of all, because I don’t make fun. Secondly, because if there are managers in the world that really defend their players, I am obviously one of them. And third, because Samuel Eto’o is Samuel Eto’o.”   

Chelsea have lacked a clear cutting edge this season, with Fernando Torres, Demba Ba and Eto’o contributing just 19 goals between them.

Mourinho said his comments will not harm his relationship with Nigerian Eto’o, a man who helped the manager to the treble — Serie A, Coppa Italia and Champions League — when he was in charge at Inter Milan.

Mourinho added: “It was with Eto’o that I had the best ever season of my career. 

“He’s one of the few players who is working with me in a second different club and a manager never does that when he doesn’t like the player or doesn’t like the person.

“He has no reason to be upset because also he said a few years ago that ‘Mourinho is the only manager in the world I would never play for’. 

“After a few years he was playing with me at Inter and now he is playing for me. 

“There is no story.” 

‘Emotional’ for Drogba

Didier Drogba is braced for an emotional reunion with Chelsea tonight.

The Galatasary striker, who won three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, two League Cups and the Champions League with the London club, says it won’t be easy facing his old team.

“It will be difficult,” he told BBC Sport.

“You don’t stay eight years in a place you don’t like, especially in football — it is very emotional. I love Chelsea but I play for Galatasaray now and I will give everything for them.”

He added: “When you’re happy at a club, you want to stay forever. But sometimes you can’t do everything you want to do. I am proud of what I achieved.”

Drogba’s contract with the Turkish club, managed by former Man City boss Roberto Mancini, runs out in the summer — and he said he is open to staying in Istanbul. 

“I will study every offer in the summer but I will look at the one from Galatasaray because they gave me a chance to play again at a high level.”