BERLIN (AFP) - The tactics of Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid against
Barcelona last week came under more fire Monday from Switzerland coach
Ottmar Hitzfeld, twice a Champions League-winning manager with Dortmund
and Bayern Munich.
UEFA on Thursday announced it had launched a
disciplinary inquiry into events surrounding Wednesday's unruly
Champions League semi-final tie between Real Madrid and Barcelona.
One of the incidents being investigated is Mourinho's post-match
outburst in which the Portuguese coach suggested referees always showed
favouritism to Barcelona, who won 2-0 in Madrid to take a huge step
towards the final.
"Luckily, Mourinho's destructive tactics, aimed solely at provoking
and destroying the opponents' gameplan, did not work," Hitzfeld wrote in
German football magazine Kicker.
"Such a way of playing does not relate to the demands of Real, it's
really shameful for Real Madrid. It harms the good name and image of
this legendary club."
Hitzfeld, just one of only three coaches to have won the Champions
League with two different clubs—along with Mourinho and Ernst Happel,
did not hide his disdain for the Portuguese coach.
"I've met him at UEFA meetings and his behaviour is faithful to his
image: arrogant, haughty, chewing gum and somewhat of a boor.
"Barca should make him pay on the pitch," he said in reference to Tuesday's return leg of the semi-final.
