Mourinho ignores Madrid president's call for unity
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E-mail Xinhua, May 7, 2013
Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho sent out a clear message Tuesday that Iker Casillas will not be first choice keeper at the club while he remains as coach.
Casillas has had to be content with a place on the bench after recovering from the hand injury he suffered at the end of January with Diego Lopez, who was brought in to cover for Casillas starting every goal and also performing magnificently.
The captain of the Spain international team as well as for his club, Casillas is, however, an icon for Real Madrid fans and there is speculation that there is a poor relationship between keeper and coach. While denying that is the case for Casillas' extended spell on the sidelines, Mourinho made it clear in a press conference held ahead of Wednesday's game to Malaga, that he will not be making any changes.
"I don't have a problem with him, but I like Diego Lopez more and I have the right top say that. While I am Real Madrid coach, Diego Lopez will always play," said Mourinho.
Of course most people now believe that Mourinho will leave Real Madrid at the end of the season and he was even photographed on Monday supposedly buying packing crates in a store in Madrid, but when asked about his future, Mourinho, who has a contract until the end of June 2015, said he had thought about staying.
"I feel good and I feel normal and relaxed," he insisted, before returning to the question of Casillas.
"I am a football coach and as such I have a job to do and part of that job is to decide who plays... I like Diego Lopez more as a keeper than Iker Casillas, I am not doing this to prejudice anyone, but I like Diego more. He comes out for crosses well, he is good with his feet, he dominates his area... It is legitimate that under normal circumstances that I would choose Diego Lopez," said Mourinho.
The coach was criticized by central defender Pepe, after Madrid's 4-3 win at home to Valladolid on Saturday, Pepe said Casillas deserved respect and appears to have paid for those comments by being left out of the squad to face Malaga.
Mourinho said his absence was not a punishment. "I don't have any problem with him, I understand that it is not an easy situation, but I have to be honest and the fact is that there can be very few people who think other than that the future of the Madrid defense is (Rafael) Varene and Sergio Ramos," said the coach.
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