Mourinho: Ronaldo loves United but he will want to score

Having been Cristiano Ronaldo's coach the last time he played at Old Trafford, Jose Mourinho knows the forward's threat to his side.

Jose Mourinho expects Cristiano Ronaldo to be determined to score against Manchester United, despite his love for his old club.

Ronaldo will face his former side at Old Trafford for the first time in five years on Tuesday, when Juventus visit for the Champions League Group H clash.

The Portugal star's last appearance against United at their home was in the knockout phase of the 2012-13 tournament, when he scored what proved to be the winning goal in a 3-2 aggregate victory for Real Madrid.

And Mourinho, who was Madrid head coach at the time, fully expects his compatriot to want to strike against his former employers again.

"He came back with me in Real Madrid. It was a knockout match and I know how much he loves Manchester United. I know that, but I also know how much he wanted to win here and score against Manchester United and win against Manchester United," Mourinho told United's website.

"He scored, and they won. So, [on Tuesday], more of the same. The fans will show the respect he deserves. He will show that to the fans too. I know that he really loves the club but when the ball starts rolling, he wants to score, and he wants to win."

The game takes place just three days after United were denied a win at Chelsea by a last-gasp equaliser from Ross Barkley.

Mourinho, though, says he has been relishing the prospect of such a daunting double-header, even if he thinks Juve are a step ahead of United at present.

"You cannot be in the Champions League and expect not to play and not to enjoy these opponents," he said. "I think they are always a candidate [to win] and, this season, they are more than a candidate. So, it's fantastic for us.

"I said before the Chelsea game that Chelsea-Juventus in three days, for some, is a nightmare. For me, it's not a nightmare, it's just where I want to be, and I thought I was quite successful in giving this feeling to the boys before the Chelsea match. I think it's easier now to give the same feeling for this match and we have to enjoy it. Nobody can kill our desire to play that game and try to win.

"In this moment, Juventus are with different footballistic power but, as I'm saying, nobody can stop us going into the game and to think we can win."

Comments

'I Tried My Best' - Arsenal Boss Arteta Believes He Did All He Could To Include Axed Ozil

The 32-year-old did not feature for the Gunners after lockdown and was subsequently omitted from the club's 25-man Premier League squad. Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta believes he did all he could to give Mesut Ozil a fair shot before he axed the German from his squad. Ozil's name was not among Arsenal's 25-man Premier League squad that was released earlier this month, which followed the playmaker's exclusion from Arsenal's Europa League squad. As the 32-year-old enters the final months of his contract with the Gunners, it now appears likely that he has played his final game for the team. Ozil did play a part for Arsenal last season, at one point starting 10 consecutive Premier League games for the Gunners before the coronavirus lockdown in March. The playmaker did not make a single appearance for Arsenal after lockdown, however, but Arteta has still insisted he gave Ozil every chance to impress before he was omitted from his team. "What I can tell you that I

Arsenal's £72m Enigma: Arteta Right To Demand More From Mercurial Pepe

The Gunners' record signing may have scored his third goal of the season on Thursday night but his manager wants consistency across 90 minutes. Mikel Arteta’s answer was clear when asked what Nicolas Pepe needed to show in order to earn himself a regular starting spot in Arsenal's Premier League team. “Consistency,” said the Arsenal boss, when quizzed on the Gunners’ record signing, following Thursday’s night’s 4-1 Europa League win against Molde at the Emirates Stadium. It was a game that perfectly encapsulated the enigma that is Pepe. The £72 million ($95m) man was infuriating at times - especially in the first half - but just as he had done against Dundalk a week earlier, he popped up with an excellent goal. He also went on to add an assist for Joe Willock, a late strike which sealed a comfortable victory for Arteta’s side and all but booked Arsenal’s passage into the knockout stages. It was a classic Pepe performance and more evidence of why he remains such a puzzle in nort

Should Arsenal Sell Eddie Nketiah To West Ham

Once he hit the U18s he was known as a prolific goalscorer, and was quickly promoted to the U23s, where he carried on scoring despite his age, and Arsene Wenger introduced him to the senior side. Fans started to take notice when he came on as a sub in a League Cup game against Norwich and scored both goals and we were excited for his future. But that promise has never quite materialised. Eddie has continued to be prolific against Smaller sides (i.e. League Cup, Europa League and England U21 qualifiers) but in the League he has managed just 4 goals in 33 appearances, although mostly off the bench. The superstriker never seems to emerge, but I guess we have to remember he is still only 21 and has rarely had a run in the senior side, but I don’t think fans are as excited about him displacing Aubameyang or Lacazette any more. So, the rumours today are that West Ham are considering making an offer for Eddie, after selling Hillier to Ajax for 20m, and we could probably do with selling a few

WELCOME TO GIST CORRIDOR

Search This Blog