Porto coach slams pitch

PORTO coach Jose Mourinho has dismissed suggestions his side are favourites for tonight’s UEFA Cup final against Celtic and slammed the state of the pitch as unacceptable.

Mourinho revealed that Porto and Celtic officials had agreed that the grass at Seville’s Estadio Olimpico would be cut on the day of the match and that the pitch would be heavily watered in a bid to improve the patchy surface.

“It looks like a pitch at the end of winter after the snow and ice have disappeared and you find brown underneath,” Mourinho complained.

“It is very slow and the ball does not zip off it. If a pitch is poor in Scotland in December, you have to accept it. But when you play a UEFA Cup final in May its difficult to accept.”

Mourinho acknowledged that the poor surface could be more of a handicap for his quick-passing side than for Celtic. But he rejected the widespread view that Porto, who won the Portuguese championship at a canter, will start as slight favourites to lift the trophy.

“For me it is 50-50,” said Mourinho. “It is a final. Anything can happen and let me add that a team which has eliminated Liverpool and Celta Vigo, as Celtic have done, must be confident and strong.”

The coach, who worked with Bobby Robson at both Porto and Barcelona, confirmed that Portugal midfielder Costinha had recovered sufficiently from a pulled thigh muscle to start.

After the squad flew into the southern Spanish city, Costinha said he was raring to go. “I am fit and expect to play. We all want to win the UEFA Cup for FC Porto.”

Costinha's midfield partner Deco expressed confidence that Porto could overcome Celtic. “We are stronger collectively but also in technical capacity,” he said.

Defender Ricardo Carvalho sounded an equally confident note. “They are two very different teams and both have a chance at victory, but if we concentrate and play at our level it will be us bringing home the Cup.”

The only worry for Mourinho now is the replacement of suspended striker Helder Postiga. Lithuanian forward Edgaras Jankauskas is favourite to get the nod.

“I don’t think there will be any surprises from us or from Celtic. You don’t play for months with one system then change it for a final because the coach got out of bed on the wrong side.”

Both clubs are bidding to lift the UEFA Cup for the first time.