Ferguson the target for Mourinho

Porto coach Jose Mourinho has launched another furious attack on Alex Ferguson as the simmering tension between the pair boiled over ahead of tomorrow’s Champions League showdown at Old Trafford.

Ferguson angrily berated his opposite number on the touchline following the Portuguese side’s 2-1 victory on home soil a fortnight ago and the Scot went on to allege that the “diving” home players were cheats and veteran keeper Vitor Baia had played a major role in getting skipper Roy Keane sent off.

On hearing the Manchester United boss had not only refused to back down from those comments but also claimed Porto were trying to influence Russian referee Valentin Ivanov ahead of tomorrow’s game, Mourinho went on the offensive again and questioned the fear he believes is seeping out of the home camp.

“I hear everything that Ferguson says and I wonder what he is so worried about and why he is so afraid,” said Mourinho.

“His team are big and powerful, we have only a small budget and after this game will probably only have our league season to think about.

“Maybe for them it’s a problem with the result. I’m sure if they win 5-0 we won’t hear any of these stupid things about diving, cheating or referees.

“I know what it is like to be in his situation. We are the top team in Portugal and we don’t lose many games but when we do so against smaller teams, it is not easy to accept and it is not easy to live with.

“I do not agree with the things he is saying about my players and the Roy Keane situation is not our problem anymore, other than I had someone banned for three games, not one, for doing something which wasn’t as bad as that.

“Maybe it is mind games on Ferguson’s part. All I would say is I have a strategy too.

“Football is a game based on emotion and intelligence. Anyone can be clever, the trick is not to think the other guy is stupid.”

If Ferguson had been within earshot, Mourinho would no doubt have been subjected to the kind of hairdryer treatment he deploys on his most agitated days.

The United boss had already reached the brink of explosion when asked whether Ruud van Nistelrooy and Cristiano Ronaldo were guilty of similar offences to the ones he has accused the Porto players of.

“He has been educated properly in Manchester,” he railed in relation to Ronaldo, while at one stage he demanded to know whether a member of the Porto media corps had witnessed the infamous Arsenal game at Old Trafford earlier in season when Van Nisterlrooy was accused of diving.

And he was certainly in no mood to retract his feelings about Baia.

“He over-reacted,” retorted Ferguson. “I have not changed my mind about that and even one of their players admitted it.

“In terms of diving, we have to be prepared for anything tomorrow but it was interesting to see them ask for a good referee. Why is it they always want the referees to help them?

“He is an experienced man, why can’t they just let him get on with their job.”

The row has produced an edge the game hardly needed given its significance to United’s season.

With Gary Neville back from suspension, Mikael Silvestre ready to return from the knee injury that kept him out of the first game and Louis Saha free to make his Old Trafford European bow, the United side is strengthened from the one that beat Fulham at the weekend even though Keane is missing.

While the 2-1 win over the Cottagers has injected some much-needed confidence into the Old Trafford outfit, any thoughts that the FA Cup would provide a handy safety net in the event of defeat tomorrow have been dispelled by the semi-final draw that has pitched them into another battle with Arsenal.

It leaves United needing to come from behind in the second leg of a major European tie for the first time since 1984 to prevent the doom merchants writing off their season, although, aside from Mourinho’s broadside, Ferguson apparently remains detached from any negative thoughts.

“We have a good home record and that gives us reason to be confident,” he said.

“We also have an away goal, which gives us another type of advantage.

“I am aware that our performances in knock-out matches in Europe is mixed but we have a good record at getting to quarter-finals and semi-finals. We have produced some terrific performances against the best teams down the years and I am glad to say only the best teams have beaten us.

“When this draw was first made I said it was the toughest one we could possibly have and there is no doubt we got off lightly in the first game.

“But I would like to think we can improve dramatically on our performance two weeks ago. That was nothing like the Manchester United side you will see tomorrow and providing we keep a clean sheet I am sure we will go through.”

In his flawless English, Mourinho would appear to think the same thing. “From the start of this competition, Manchester United were one of the favourites to win it while we just hoped to reach the second stage,” he said.

“They have a wonderful team, with wonderful players. People talk about their defence but they haven’t conceded a goal at home in Europe this season.

“They think they are better than us, all they have to do is go on to the pitch and prove it, then we will go home with a smile on our faces.”

However, Ferguson would be wise to heed the advice of this bright, articulate young coach who impressed Bobby Robson enough to turn him from an interpreter into a member of his coaching staff at both Porto and Barcelona. For he is anything but stupid and United will underestimate his team at their peril.

“People keep saying we are a poor team away from home,” he said. “I don’t know where they get that from. We drew at Real Madrid and Partizan Belgrade and have beaten Marseille. We will not be afraid to go out there and play tomorrow night.”