Jose Mourinho has delivered a cutting response to comments from former Real Madrid striker Antonio Cassano that the Portuguese ‘doesn’t give a s*** about football’.
The Roma boss has been linked with a shock return to Real Madrid this summer. He recently admitted a preference for the club in their upcoming Champions League tie against Chelsea amid suggestions that he could replace Carlo Ancelotti in the Madrid hotseat this summer.
Mourinho continued his perfect European record as Roma boss last month as they marched past Real Sociedad in the Europa League to move through to the last eight. Having won the Europa Conference League in his first campaign in the Italian capital, he now has Europe’s second most prestigious continental trophy in his sights.
However, not everyone is convinced of Mourinho’s merits – including the former striker Cassano. Capped 39 times by Italy, he never played under the manager but has made it clear he is not a fan of his style of management.
Cassano told Bobo TV : “He can return to Real Madrid if Ancelotti does not continue, but if Los Blancos want a coach, they will not call Mourinho for their new project. Mou doesn’t give a s*** about football. He doesn’t like to work, he doesn’t know how to communicate or speak, let’s not be fooled by his story.”
When pressed on Mourinho’s excellent managerial CV, Cassano added: “I don’t know how he achieves those results, because it’s just cinema. He was a great coach, but right now he can train Real Madrid, as he can also train San Martines.”
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Mourinho hit back at Cassano’s comments this weekend, telling reporters at a press conference : “Everyone is free to have their preferences and make their criticism, but when talking about others, like Antonio does, it’s different.
“Some of us work in football, he just wants to enjoy himself. Cassano played for Roma, for Inter and for Real Madrid. In Madrid he is only remembered for his jacket. With Roma he won a Supercoppa without playing. At Inter he didn’t even manage the Lombardy Cup in a friendly.
“You know what I won with Inter, Real Madrid and Roma. He might have a problem with me, I do not have a problem with him. I will tell Cassano just one thing: careful Antonio, for you are 40 years old and I am 60, at times Marko Livaja types turn up and then it gets tough.”
Cassano scored just four goals in 29 appearances in a forgettable spell in Madrid, with Mourinho’s jacket reference relating to the coat he wore when arriving at the club. Livaja and Cassano are believed to have been involved in a fiery bust-up while the two were together at Inter in 2012/13.
