Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has insisted that star
forward Cristiano Ronaldo is not a diver and also identified Group
G opponents Milan as serious contenders for the Uefa Champions
League this term.
Speaking at a Uefa coaches forum in Nyon, Switzerland, the
self-proclaimed Special One suggested that honest players get less
protection from match officials than those who simulate. Mourinho
also credited Ronaldo's honesty to his time at Manchester United
under the tutelage of Alex ferguson.
"Cristiano is a player who does not have the culture of the
swimming pool, he has no culture of simulation, he is a
British-trained player, Ferguson trained," he insisted, as quoted
by AS.
"In some cases, the simulators are given more protection, and those
who are honest are often the losers. I'm not a hypocrite if I say
that they [defenders] hit Cristiano very hard, and that the yellow
cards do not arrive or are slow in coming."
On the Rossoneri, Mourinho declared that with the new arrivals the
Serie A outfit have one of the best attacking lineups in world
football, worthy of adding to their six European Cups.
"An attack with [Alexandre] Pato, [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic, Robinho,
and Ronaldinho is one of the strongest attacks in the world and are
candidates, certain candidates, to win the competition," he
noted.
