SPAIN: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - A silent Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho prompts walkout by Spanish media in a news conference ahead of La Liga "Clasico" against Barcelona

Record ID: 515311

  • Title: SPAIN: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - A silent Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho prompts walkout by Spanish media in a news conference ahead of La Liga "Clasico" against Barcelona
  • Date: 16th April 2011
  • Summary: FANS WAITING FOR PLAYERS OUT SIDE VALDEBEBAS / HIGUAIN LEAVING BY CAR (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID FAN, IVAN SAYING " I see it very well, the one (game) on Saturday, the one on Wednesday (Kings Cup final) and the two of Champions (Champions League). The four (matches) are already won, sure." REAL MADRID FAN, MARIO SAYING: " I'm not that confident, I'm not that optim
  • Embargoed: 1st May 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Spain, Spain
  • Country: Spain
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA5LJWJ53EVGZBD2DS5GAGY1T3T
  • Story Text: Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho refused to speak at a news conference on Friday (April 15) ahead of Saturday's "Clasico" at home to La Liga leaders Barcelona, prompting a walkout by local journalists.
    The often outspoken Real Madrid coach sat with a poker face and furrowed brows next to his assistant Aitor Karanka, who took all the questions during the Friday (April 15) conference broadcast on live television and radio and lasting roughly 11 minutes.
    In a bizarre spectacle, around 30 Spanish journalists who cover the club walked out when a spokesman announced that Mourinho would not be speaking and it was left to representatives of the international media to quiz Karanka about what was happening.
    " Every time that the coach (Mourinho) talks everything is blown out of proportion and well he doesn't want his words blown out of proportion. What is clear is that at this moment he doesn't want to be the one who raises the temperature ahead of the match or to answer anything. He prefers to stay calm, and as I said this is not the first time that I appear (at news conference), is just one way we have of working and it's not because he doesn't want to answer you," Karanka said after a training session.
    Mourinho has frequently clashed with the media during his coaching career and has angered journalists in Spain since his arrival at the end of last season by cutting back on their access to players and training.
    Barca can take a giant stride towards securing a third straight league title with a win in Saturday's (April 16) eagerly anticipated game at the Bernabeu, the first of four meetings between the arch rivals in three competitions in 18 days.
    Karanka said that Real have worked hard to achieve good results this season.
    "It has been wild since Real Madrid reach the end of the season with chances in the three competitions, more chances in some but with options in the three. I believe that for a club with the Madrid history it is logical to have this end of season and we have fight during the whole season to achieve this," the former Real Madrid player said.
    Victory would stretch Barcelona advantage to 11 points with six games left and give them a confidence boost ahead of Wednesday's (April 20) King's Cup final and the two-legged Champions League semi-final on April 27 and May 3.
    Mourinho's squad seems to be in better shape for Saturday with strikers Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain and playmaker Kaka all coming back from injury in time for the season run in.
    The Portuguese has successfully rotated his squad over the last week, trying out different tactical variations in games, and has a number of options available to him.
    After the training session, opinions were split among Real fans who gathered outside Valdebebas complex to have a glimpse of the players.
    "I see it very well, the one (game) on Saturday, the one on Wednesday (Kings Cup final) and the two of Champions (Champions League),the four (matches) are already won, sure." Real Madrid fan Ivan said.
    "I'm not that confident, I'm not that optimistic. I hope to win... We give them La Liga match and the Europe (Champions League) and the cup (Kings Cup) are for us," replied his friend Mario.
    Among the fans was Stacy, a young fan that travelled from Russia just to watch the match.
    Clad in a Mourinho jersey, Stacy said she believed Real could win the League.
    "Sure, I'm a Real Madrid fan so I can't think other way," she said while watching the players leaving Valdebebas on their flashy cars.
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