REAL MADRID MANAGER Jose Mourinho described his side’s season as the worst of his trophy-laden, colourful career after Atletico Madrid edged a 2-1 extra-time Spanish Cup triumph.
Real have already surrendered their La Liga title to Barcelona and were eliminated by Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League semi-finals, leaving the former Chelsea boss to lament a return of just the Spanish Supercup in terms of silverware.
“A career is made up of many years, not just one. I don’t know anyone who always has fantastic seasons, winning important titles,” said Mourinho, whose desperation was illustrated when he was sent to the stands on Friday.
“This is the worst season of my career with a title that is not sufficient to satisfy Real Madrid and therefore it is a bad season.
“With a final, a semi-final, second place in the league and the Supercup, what for many would be a good season, for me is the worst.”
Mourinho, who is widely expected to be back in charge at Chelsea next season, refused to speculate on whether or not he would be in the Real hot-seat for a fourth year.“I have a contract for three more years and I have still not sat down with the president to talk about my future,” he said.
“It is normal to me that they talk about (Carlo) Ancelotti or someone else. Also that they speak about me going to Chelsea, or here or there.
“I have to be honest. Until the day that the president sits down with me and the club does something official it has to be like this.”
Mourinho insisted Atletico had not been deserving winners.
After goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Diego Costa had the scores level at 1-1 just before half-time, Real went on to hit the post three times before Miranda scored the winning goal for Atletico eight minutes into extra time.
Mourinho’s men still went on to miss two glorious chances to level through Gonzalo Higuain and Mesut Ozil before their awful night was compounded when Ronaldo saw a straight red card for reacting to a late challenge from Gabi.
“The result is 1-1 and it is not normal to hit the post three times,” added Mourinho.
“You don’t have to be a magician of football to think that the result is not fair, that Atletico are not the deserved winners of the final.“In extra-time we had two opportunities, one for Higuain and the other for Ozil. The result is not deserved, but in football everything is forgotten.
“The refereeing is forgotten, the shots off the post are forgotten, all that remains is that the winner is Atletico.”
Atletico boss Diego Simeone lauded his players as they followed up their Europa League success of last season with their first Copa del Rey title in 17 years.
“It was an incredible game. We had the luck you need to have to be champions,” he said.
“Then we had two chances, but what these players have done in a year and a half is incredible. I don’t have words for it.”
Best of luck hon tipp
Well done Tipp – great man for a demanding role and sure to get results with his dynamic approach – best of luck Colm
Wait a second… these are fake hands!
@bob hope: brilliant
@bob hope: brilliant
By god we have fairly gone downhill in a couple of weeks…. All Ireland pretenders and now a Joe McDonagh team in situ… and our crop of brilliant hurling giants being coached by a team who failed to win the Joe McDonagh two years in a row. Tipperary hurling at a low ebb when we have to go to Kildare for a coach.
@Jim Hickey: They haven’t even played a game under him yet
@Jim Hickey: you’re clearly a close and long term fan of all things Tipperary hurling. Or did you just learn about the game 2 minutes ago?
@Jim Hickey: Kildare? Thought he was a Tipp man!
Brilliant appointment for Tipp. He will do a savage job for them.
A person who has won it all at every level
@Philip McLoughlin: an impressive CV alright in fairness to him.
What a disaster of an appointment.
Tipp could have a few barren years ahead
@Niall Lee: tube