
Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has insisted that star forward
Cristiano Ronaldo is not a diver and also identified Group G
opponents Milan as serious contenders for the UEFA Champions League
this term.
Speaking at a UEFA coaches forum in Nyon, Switzerland, the
self-proclaimed Special One suggested that honest players get less
protection from match officials than those who simulate. Mourinho
also credited Ronaldo's honesty to his time at Manchester United
under the tutelage of Alex Ferguson.
"Cristiano is a player who does not have the culture of the
swimming pool, he has no culture of simulation, he is a
British-trained player, Ferguson trained," he insisted, as quoted
by AS.
"In some cases, the simulators are given more protection, and those who are honest are often the losers. I'm not a hypocrite if I say that they [defenders] hit Cristiano very hard, and that the yellow cards do not arrive or are slow in coming."
On the Rossoneri, Mourinho declared that with the new arrivals
the Serie A outfit have one of the best attacking lineups in
world football, worthy of adding to their six European
Cups.
"An attack with [Alexandre] Pato, [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic, Robinho,
and Ronaldinho is one of the strongest attacks in the world and
they are candidates, certain candidates, to win the competition,"
he noted.
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