Mourinho: Manchester City can't buy Real Madrid's trophies and history

The Portuguese coach launches a broadside at the Eastlands outfit before their Champions League tie, insisting that Roberto Mancini's side cannot compete with his club's past.

Jose Mourinho has taunted Manchester City before the club's Champions League battle withReal Madrid at the Bernabeu on Tuesday evening, declaring that, while Roberto Mancini's side may currently be winning trophies, no other club can compare when it comes to Madrid's glittering past.

The Portuguese coach is well-known for his mind games, and his latest comments could be seen as an attempt to protect his side should it struggle in the opening group stage game against the star additions at City.

"There are some things that money can’t buy - trophies and history," he told The Sun. "Real Madrid is Real Madrid, it's the real thing. A club no football result, no cup competition, no coach, no player can ever change. Quite simply Real Madrid is a club like no other. It's incomparable with any other club in the world.

"There is no team anywhere that can be compared with Real Madrid. None."

Mourinho contrasted the outlook of both clubs, suggesting that while City's owners will be desperate to announce themselves on the global stage with a Champions League crown, the pressure on him to deliver one at Madrid is tempered by the club's huge past trophy haul.

"This [City] is a team being created to lift the Champions League, that's their aim," he said. "A lot of top managers and clubs have never won a Champions League. So if I have won it twice and Real have won it a record nine times... well we should say 'Thanks to God'. And if a third comes for me and a 10th title comes for Real Madrid this season - amazing.

“We will accept it all with a smile. But there is no pressure on us. There is no obsession to win it here. There are great clubs but the pressure and the expectation is the greatest here at Real Madrid. It is huge but it is an enjoyable pressure, not a suffocating one."

Mourinho did have praise for Mancini's team, however, describing it as "a powerful side", and singled out Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli as City's danger men for the tie.

"I don't like to speak about opponents individually but it's no problem to say that we respect Carlos Tevez a lot," the manager went on. "I also know Mario Balotelli and the player he is because we were together at Inter for two years and so he certainly has nothing to prove to me."/goal.com/

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AC Milan's Allegri: I'm a little bit worried, it's not good enough to be playing like this

The Rossoneri tactician has seen his side make the worst start at home in a league campaign for over 80 years and concedes the team needs to be producing better performances.

AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri has shrugged off criticism in the wake of overseeing the club's worst home start to the season since 1930, claiming his side requires patience after succumbing 1-0 to Atalanta./goal.com/

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Vilanova thrilled with Barcelona victory over Getafe

The Barca coach pointed out that his side has already won in the two fixtures that derailed its title hopes last year, while also giving his response to Carles Puyol's injury.

Barcelona boss Tito Vilanova has praised his side's resolve after securing a 4-1 victory away to Getafe, a fixture that the club suffered defeat in last season./goal.com/

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Roma coach Zeman slams modern attitudes

The 65-year-old has hit out at the way some players behave both on and off the pitch, claiming that the financial rewards of the game are turning football into an individual sport.

Roma coach Zdenek Zeman has taken a swipe at the behavior of modern footballers, slamming their financial motives and contracts which endorse unsportsmanlike behavior.

The experienced manager took over the reigns at the Stadio Olimpico this summer and stated his belief that the lucrative contracts given to many top players are harming the image of the game./goal.com/

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Mancini: Manchester City will be a top team like Real Madrid in 10 years

The Premier League champion's manager responds to opposite number Jose Mourinho, who had claimed that the club's money could not buy history.

Roberto Mancini admits that his Manchester City side is nowhere near as big or successful asReal Madrid but expects the two to be on the same level in the next decade./goal.com/

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Genoa 1-3 Juventus: Second-half comeback maintains 100 percent record for champion

Giaccherini, Vucinic and Asamoah all hit after the interval to pull the Bianconeri back from one goal down, extending their unbeaten run to 42 games in the process.

A second-half fightback from Juventus drove the Serie A champion to a 3-1 victory overGenoa, making it three wins out of three for the Turin battlers. 

Ciro Immobile had fired the home team into an early lead, but Emanuele Giaccherini's finish followed by a penalty from Mirko Vucinic ensured that the Old Lady would take all three points from the Stadio Communale. /goal.com/

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Jozy Altidore nets hat trick in 4-0 AZ win

The USA striker was back at it for his club on Sunday, netting a hat trick in a 4-0 win over Roda.

dJozy Altidore got back in the swing of club play quickly after the international break, scoring three times for AZ as the club ran out to a 4-0 win over Roda JC.

Altidore opened the scoring just 13 minutes in before Erik Falkenburg put the team up 2-0 just under half an hour into the game.

Altidore put the score out of reach just before halftime with his second of the day, giving his team a comfortable 3-0 lead heading into the break. In the 65th the big American rounded out his day with a third and gave the game its final scoreline. 

The big striker now has seven goals at this early stage of the season, putting him well on pace to top his career-best numbers from last season./goal.com/

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Jol: Berbatov can help Fulham create a new identity after Dembele and Dempsey departures

The 56-year-old Cottagers boss believes the Bulgarian striker can help the club forge a new identity following the departures of the high-profile attacking duo this summer.

Fulham manager Martin Jol praised the influence of Dimitar Berbatov after he scored two goals in the 3-0 win against West Brom./goal.com/

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Clint Dempsey makes Tottenham debut in win over Reading

The American international was given a 12 minute cameo in Tottenham's road victory.

Clint Dempsey made his Tottenhan debut on Sunday, playing the final 12 minutes in his new team's comfortable 3-1 road victory over Reading. 

The American slotted in at midfield, playing in a wide left role for Andre Villas-Boas' side.

The appearance was Dempsey's first of the EPL season, as he did not play for Fulham while his protracted transfer saga was resolved, finally ending with a last-minute transfer to north London on Aug. 31, the final day of the transfer window.

Jermain Defoe scored a brace in the match, while Gareth Bale also added a goal in Tottenham's first win of the season and first win under Villas-Boas. Hal Robson-Kanu scored a late consolation for the home side. /goal.com/

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Sevilla 1-0 Real Madrid: Trochowski strikes to heap misery on Mourinho's men

An early strike from the German proved to be difference as a frustrated Blancos outfit rattled the frame of the goal twice as they slumped to their second Liga loss of the season

Real Madrid's stuttering start to the defense of its Liga crown continued as it fell to a 1-0 defeat to Sevilla at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.

The Rojiblancos had not beaten the club from the capital since October 2009 but got off to a great start as Piotr Trochowski put them ahead inside two minutes. But in a highly-charged encounter Los Blancos were unable to equalize, hitting the woodwork twice in the second half as they succumbed to their second league defeat of the season.

The match started at a frenetic pace with the hosts taking the game straight to Jose Mourinho's men. A shot from the edge of the box inside the first minute was spilled back into the danger area by Iker Casillas but he recovered to stop Alvaro Negredo from tapping in the rebound.

Ivan Rakitic took the resultant corner and he dropped it on the penalty spot where it was met by Trochowski, who had escaped the loose marking of Angel Di Maria, and he volleyed into the roof of the net with aplomb.

Clearly aggravated at going behind, the visitors' tempers began to flair and Gonzalo Higuain was fortunate to remain on the pitch after kicking out on Fernando Navarro despite winning a free kick for his side. 

He confronted the left back again moments later, but in the 10th minute attentions were turned back to the goal mouth. Cristiano Ronaldo thumped a free kick over the wall from 20 yards but his effort was too close to Andres Palop who dived across and turned it behind. The 'keeper then denied the Portuguese seconds later following a speculative attempt from deep.

Madrid began to assert themselves as the game went on and with 20 minutes played Mesut Ozil fed Higuain at the top of the box. The striker did superbly to spin his marker but he could not add an equally impressive finish, slicing his shot high and wide.

In an attempt to bring his side back into the match Mourinho replaced the disappointing Di Maria and Ozil with Luka Modric and Karim Benzema at half time.

The Croatian had an immediate impact as within just seven minutes he almost drew the visitors level. From long range, Modric caught the ball superbly but Palop again got an important touch, tipping the effort onto the post.

With Sevilla unable to retain the ball, the reigning Liga champion hit the woodwork again on the hour mark. Palop failed to clear a free kick from the left and Benzema controlled the ball at the back post. He volleyed it across goal but Sergio Ramos headed onto the bar from inside the six-yard box.

Madrid continued to search for an equalizer but its efforts proved in vain as the host remained compact at the back despite dropping deeper and deeper in the closing stages. Ronaldo saw his free kick in the final minute of stoppage time fly over the bar in what proved to be the last chance of the game.

Victory moves Sevilla up to third in the table, but it may fall from there depending on Sunday's games. Real Madrid meanwhile sits eight points behind arch rival Barcelona in a lowly 12th position, and it could see that worsen if this weekend's remaining results go against them./goal.com/

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Mourinho: If Ronaldo is sad but plays like he does, that's perfect for me

The Madrid boss insists he has nothing to worry about regarding the Portuguese forward, despite speculation mounting over whether he might leave La Liga over his sadness

Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho said he is not concerned by Cristiano Ronaldo's sadness as long as he continues to perform to a high standard on the field.

After los Blancos’ 3-0 over Granada nearly two weeks ago, the former Manchester United forward told reporters he had not celebrated properly after his goals because he was sad for professional reasons.

During the international break that followed the Portugal star insisted it was not money-related, but Mourinho is not bothered about the speculation if his form remains high.

"If Ronaldo is sad and plays like he plays, perfect for me," the ex-Chelsea coach told reporters on Friday afternoon. "I'll say the same thing, I coach football and my responsibility are the results. I have responsibility for the performance of my players. And if something goes wrong, you kill me.

"Ronaldo trains 100 percent, sometimes he does it good or not, but he's a team player, always disciplined in training, exemplary. I don't have to worry with things that are superficial and not fundamental".

Mourinho accepted that, as head coach at the Santiago Bernabeu, he must take responsibility for negative results, but insists his No. 7’s performances are down to the individual.

"My responsibilities in Ronaldo's case? I have only a few responsibilities, in the positive performance of the players," he two-time Champions League winning coach continued.

"As Cristiano is playing well for so many years, the credit is his. I'm just a football coach, with increased responsibility, but nothing more."

The former Inter boss refused to criticize the Portugal international star for going public about his discontent, and he says he is more concerned with getting Madrid’s league form back on track after beating Barcelona over two legs in the Super Cup.

"It didn't bother me that Ronaldo came out to mixed zone to expose his personal sadness," Mourinho added.

"I have ambitions at level of the game and results. Last year we got high on both aspects. And this is what I want this season.

"The match against Barcelona has offset my disappointment in the league, but the Super Cup is history, and is also the least important trophy and we must move on."

The Real Madrid boss insists that Ronaldo could do with some time out of the spotlight after the media frenzy over his comments during the international break.

"These has been two fantastic weeks for the press," Mourinho jibed. "Without games, without emotion, with these [Ronaldo’s] statements - it’s been perfect for the press.

"But Ronaldo now needs peace, quiet, and to play football, which is what he likes the best, and what he likes to do."/goal.com/

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The Full English: With the 2014 World Cup two years away, England’s chances still bleak as ever

The Three Lions' struggles against Ukraine cannot be overlooked. Sorry, Mr. Lampard.

The 2014 World Cup is fast approaching. National teams all across the globe are hoping for the opportunity to be among the 32 that will travel to Brazil for the tournament. Most won’t make it, but right now they're channeling their inner Lloyd Christmas and hoping that there's a chance.

Perpetual underachiever England got its qualification process underway last week against Moldova and the Ukraine with two contrasting results. The main takeaway from the matches is that the term ‘underachiever’ may not be needed as England doesn’t stand much of a chance at achieving anything in two years time./goal.com/

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