Quitting Real Madrid? No way, says Jose

JOSE MOURINHO has denied he is on the verge of leaving Real Madrid, insisting there is “no way” he is about to quit as manager.

Reports surfaced in Spain yesterday that the Portuguese was poised to exit the Bernabeau following another tumultuous week during which the 48-year-old appeared to put his finger in the eye of Barca’s assistant coach Tito Vilanova during last week’s Supercopa defeat. The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) yesterday confirmed they would be looking into the incident.

The flashpoint was the latest in a string of unsavoury incidents involving Mourinho and the Catalans since he joined Madrid last summer.

The growing tensions have seen him become increasingly outspoken about Barcelona and their practices, with talk of his departure coming on the back of the latest blow-up.

Mourinho says the speculation is not true, though, and in an open letter to supporters on the club’s official website he wrote: “Only those who don’t know me can dream, make up or believe I may leave Real Madrid at this stage. I believe many people were surprised by the quality football showcased by us in pre-season and it would be surprising news to them if I left the club now. Impossible!

“There is no way I’m leaving. No way!

“I also wish to apologise to Madridistas, and only to them, for my attitude in our last game. Some people are better adapted to the hypocrisy in football than I am, and they hide their faces and speak in whispers deep inside tunnels.

“I’m not learning to be a hypocrite, and I don’t want to.”