SOCCER: UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTER FINALS: JOSE MOURINHO has warned Tottenham Hotspur that they will need to score at least six goals against his Real Madrid team this evening at White Hart Lane if they are to have any hope of progressing to the Champions League semi-finals.
Tottenham go into the second leg of the quarter-final trailing 4-0, leaving Harry Redknapp’s side facing what appears an impossible task. To score five unanswered goals against a Mourinho team is unlikely and the Portuguese coach believes his side will score at least once.
“Football can betray you and I know the mentality of English stadiums, English supporters and English teams,” Mourinho said. “If I put myself in Harry’s position I would do everything with my players to try the miracle. We have to respect opponents, we have to play seriously. But at the same time I don’t think five goals is enough for Tottenham to beat us because I think we come here to score goals.”
Madrid have five players one booking away from a suspension and there is the prospect of a semi-final against their closest domestic rivals, Barcelona, who were 5-1 up on Shakhtar Donetsk going into the second match of their tie.
Mourinho was asked, then, if this evening’s match was about not taking risks and whether defeat by a small margin would be acceptable. He said: “The objective in any knockout competition is to go through. So if we were to lose 5-2 or 4-1 (overall), that objective would be achieved and we would be in the semi-final, which would be great.
“But we don’t go into football matches for that reason at Real Madrid. We are very proud of our unbeaten record in the Champions League: so far we’ve played nine games, we’ve won seven and drawn two. We are better to maintain that unbeaten record so that this carries on for next season as the better results we get can guarantee, if we qualify for the Champions League, that we are seeded.”
Mourinho, who coached Chelsea from 2004 to 2007, has said he will return to England to manage. With Redknapp favourite to take over from Fabio Capello as England coach after Euro 2012, the Real coach was asked whether Spurs are a club he would be interested in taking charge of. “I don’t think it is an answer for today,” he said. “Everybody knows I’m Harry’s friend, so everything good that happens to him I’m pleased about. If he goes to manage England, I am a proud friend.
“In relation to my future I think my future is at Real Madrid because I have a contract for three more seasons and I hope to do well enough to deserve to continue.”
Meanwhile, Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva expects the goals to flow for Andy Carroll now the striker has opened his account for the club. However, the Brazil international warned that despite the 22-year-old’s impressive two-goal display in Monday night’s 3-0 Premier League win over Manchester City – his first a powerful strike from outside the area which beat England team-mate Joe Hart for pace – the team have to play their part in creating chances for their record signing.
Carroll had looked a handful in his previous five matches since recovering from the thigh injury which delayed his debut after signing from Newcastle, in January but his performance against City was undoubtedly his best so far.
His goals were just reward for his efforts and, having scored 11 for Newcastle this season, he now has 13 in 23 Premier League matches and is the joint highest English goalscorer for the current campaign alongside Darren Bent.
Lucas believes the striker will add to that tally sooner rather than later. “Everyone is so happy for Andy. For a few games he’s been trying to score and at times has been unlucky,” he said. “He showed what he’s capable of doing, not just with his head but with his feet as well. Your first goal is always the most difficult to get. I’m sure now he will get more and more.”
Manager Kenny Dalglish has always preached patience when it came to Carroll, pointing out he was signed for the club’s long-term future – not just to save this season after the departure of Fernando Torres. But he accepted they had probably thrust the England international back into action earlier than they would have liked in order to get him up to speed after two months out injured.
“We have pushed him. Normally you get some games to get yourself match-fit but he never had that,” said the Scot. “He came on against Manchester United and then he played against Braga and it went from there. We have tried to help as much as we can but he has been fantastic in his recovery work and the goals are maybe coming now because he is getting up to full match fitness now.”
Liverpool have the best record against the current top four than any other club this season, with Dalglish overseeing wins over United, City and Chelsea since his appointment in early January.
But they have also lost to strugglers Blackpool, West Ham and West Brom during that time and Lucas admits it is an area which needs work. “The intensity of our game in the first half against City especially was amazing,” added the Brazilian.
“Now we just have to try to play with that kind of character in every game. We know it is difficult but always in big games we seem to play better than in games in which we maybe think it will be a bit easier. But you have to make sure you play well in every game to get a better position in the table.”
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