Jose Mourinho on the backfoot

Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho has rubbished claims that his public praise for his former players Didier Drogba and Wesley Sneijder were made to “soften” up the Galatasaray players ahead of tonight’s important Champions League quarter-final tie.

Mourinho has managed both players in the past during his time at Chelsea and Inter Milan respectively and he will be reunited with his former stars in tonight’s clash at the Bernabeu.

“Maybe you know of a culture where you crawl up to people, where that is an art, but that is not my culture,” said Mourinho. “My culture is where you are not afraid to say your true feelings, where you do not have to hide.”

Drogba and Mourinho had a very close relationship at Chelsea and the Portuguese manager made no bones about it saying: “I don’t say Didier was the greatest player I have worked with because I have had so many great players. But he was a great player, a great friend and somebody who will be part of my life forever.”