Post by Taxigirl on Mar 15, 2004 18:42:29 GMT
news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/3510424.stm
SPACE CADET
Porto coach Jose Mourinho has accused Celtic of employing strong-arm tactics to succeed in Europe.
Rab Douglas and Barcelona's Thiago Motta were sent off after a bust-up during Thursday's Uefa Cup tie.
And Mourinho, who guided Porto to a Uefa Cup final triumph over Celtic last season, was not surprised.
"I remember their behaviour being similar in the tunnel and dressing-room area at half-time in the Uefa Cup final," he said.
Celtic defeated Barcelona 1-0 in the fourth-round, first-leg, during which Barcelona's Javier Saviola was also shown a red card.
But Mourinho, whose side also knocked Manchester United out of the Champions League on Wednesday, believes Barcelona will claim victory in Spain.
"What I watched in Glasgow didn't shock me," he said.
"Celtic use an aggressive style of play in the hope their opponents will buckle.
"But football will always be the winner and we showed that in Seville.
"We kept the ball and Celtic just ran all over the pitch trying to get to us with their horrible and aggressive style.
"But it will be a different story in the Nou Camp in the next leg. Barcelona have style and they can win the tournament.
"All they have to do is keep their foot on the ball and not panic if they haven't scored in the first 10 minutes.
"They are superior to Celtic and have more quality."
But Celtic boss Martin O'Neill warns that such comments serve only to act as an incentive for his team, as they proved when Blackburn captain Garry Flitcroft criticised them last season.
news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/3507618.stm
"The comments from Blackburn were particularly galling considering they obviously emanated from Graeme Souness at the end of the game in the dressing-room," he said.
"He obviously said the thing about men against boys and their captain was thick enough to come out and say it afterwards.
"It was a big spur on. We tore them apart down there.
"But it happens a lot and we rarely get any credit from any side we play in Europe.
"At the end of every single game, when teams are expected to turn us over but don't, someone will find an excuse."
SPACE CADET
Porto coach Jose Mourinho has accused Celtic of employing strong-arm tactics to succeed in Europe.
Rab Douglas and Barcelona's Thiago Motta were sent off after a bust-up during Thursday's Uefa Cup tie.
And Mourinho, who guided Porto to a Uefa Cup final triumph over Celtic last season, was not surprised.
"I remember their behaviour being similar in the tunnel and dressing-room area at half-time in the Uefa Cup final," he said.
Celtic defeated Barcelona 1-0 in the fourth-round, first-leg, during which Barcelona's Javier Saviola was also shown a red card.
But Mourinho, whose side also knocked Manchester United out of the Champions League on Wednesday, believes Barcelona will claim victory in Spain.
"What I watched in Glasgow didn't shock me," he said.
"Celtic use an aggressive style of play in the hope their opponents will buckle.
"But football will always be the winner and we showed that in Seville.
"We kept the ball and Celtic just ran all over the pitch trying to get to us with their horrible and aggressive style.
"But it will be a different story in the Nou Camp in the next leg. Barcelona have style and they can win the tournament.
"All they have to do is keep their foot on the ball and not panic if they haven't scored in the first 10 minutes.
"They are superior to Celtic and have more quality."
But Celtic boss Martin O'Neill warns that such comments serve only to act as an incentive for his team, as they proved when Blackburn captain Garry Flitcroft criticised them last season.
news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/3507618.stm
"The comments from Blackburn were particularly galling considering they obviously emanated from Graeme Souness at the end of the game in the dressing-room," he said.
"He obviously said the thing about men against boys and their captain was thick enough to come out and say it afterwards.
"It was a big spur on. We tore them apart down there.
"But it happens a lot and we rarely get any credit from any side we play in Europe.
"At the end of every single game, when teams are expected to turn us over but don't, someone will find an excuse."