HE IS HIS OWN WORST ENEMY

Mourinho is his own worst enemy. He went off the reservation with his latest and greatest adventure. He made the serious and irreparable mistake of forgetting that Real Madrid is not Porto. Nor is it Chelsea. Nor Inter. There is no comparison, not in terms of history or honours. Or glory. Or titles. And not in the importance of the emblem or the shirt. Or the dressing room. Or the fans.

He even defies himself when he says that no-one may laugh at him. How dare they! Not the press. Nor Casillas, even if he is the Real Madrid and Spain captain, and a European and world champion. Not Ramos either. And certainly not Cristiano Ronaldo, even if on merit, goals and because he is one of the two best players in the world, he should shine brighter than anyone at Real Madrid. Not the referees, of course. Nor the other managers. Not UEFA, nor FIFA, not even Unicef.

He is Mourinho. The special one
How could anyone expect him to attend the FIFA Ballon D'Or Awards and sit next to a bum like Del Bosque, who only works for one month of the year. What a complete outrage! It is just pure coincidence that Del Bosque won Real's last two Champions Leagues, two league titles, the Spanish and European Super Cups and the Intercontinental Cup, all in the space of just four years with a much more unbalanced team than the current one.

What is all this nonsense about the Spain team ruling the world after astonishing Spaniards and foreigners alike (except for Mourinho, of course) with three consecutive triumphs which no other international side has ever achieved? Just two European Championships with a World Cup in between? - Child's play!

1. He has not had the players' full backing
Some players have backed Mourinho to the hilt, but others (Casillas and Ramos) have stood up to him and told him things to his face.

2. He does not think that the club has agreed to his demands
Although Mourinho has had more power than any other coach in Real Madrid's history, it isn't enough for him.

3. Irreconcilable differences with the press
Mou dislikes being criticised, and he believes that Spain has not shown him the respect he deserves, even before his arrival.

4. He cannot forget being whistled against twice at the Bernabéu
Used to being idolised by all the fans at every club he has coached, Mourinho has never felt fully supported by the Bernabéu faithful.

5. He feels disrespected and mistreated in Spain
He said in his home country that "it's tough being Portuguese in Spain". He thinks that nobody has shown him the respect that his achievements deserve.

6. His family do not feel settled in our country
His son has had the odd unpleasant experience playing for Canillas.

7. A previous bad experience staying beyond the end of the season
He finished his third season at Chelsea and wanted to leave, but he stayed and then terminated his contract in September.

8. A club where "the walls have eyes and ears"
Mourinho has been obsessed with leaks throughout his three years at Real.

9. A similar fatigue to that of Pep Guardiola
Mourinho has suffered unbearable fatigue due to competitive stress and numerous demands.

10. He misses England and the Premier League
Mou started to miss the Premier League the day after he left Chelsea. Football in England is a religion, he is idolised by his own and respected by the opposition.

THE PORTUGUESE NEEDED 196 GAMES TO DO IT

Cristiano Ronaldo has reached 200 goals in 196 competitive games with Real Madrid; 146 in the league, 16 in the Spanish Cup, 35 in the Champions League and 3 in the Spanish Super Cup.

He still trails Hugo Sánchez, with 208 goals in 281 games, Puskas (237 in 262), Santillana (288 in 645), Di Stéfano (307 in 392) and Raúl (323 in 741).
Of all of these, Cristiano has needed the least number of games to reach the landmark of 200 goals. Raúl needed 405, Hugo Sánchez 268, Di Stéfano 237, Puskas 209 and Santillana 412.

Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 33 league goals this season and is the player with the highest number of headed goals, six following his brace against Valladolid. So far this season he has scored 53 goals in 52 games.

With 146 league goals, Cristiano Ronaldo draws level with Raúl Tamudo as the third-highest active goalscorer and the twentieth-highest La Liga goalscorer ever.

The Portuguese star is also the player who has had the highest number of shots hit the woodwork with as many as nine, including his free-kick against Valladolid.

THE PORTUGUESE DEFENDER QUESTIONS HIS MANAGER'S ACTIONS

Pepe has criticised the attitude that his manager Jose Mourinho has taken to goalkeeper Iker Casillas, who, according to the central defender, "should be respected more".

"He's our manager, but with Iker you have to have a little more respect. The players and the fans are behind Iker. The manager's words weren't the most suitable", the player said to Digital Plus.

"Iker is a real institution in this club, and also in Spain", the Real defender insisted, who did not want to talk about the manager's future: "We are quite calm. We have to honour the colours of our shirt".

THE BERNABÉU FAITHFUL HAS SPOKEN

Six minutes before the Real Madrid – Valladolid game kicked off, the majority of the 30,000 fans present in the stands at the Bernabéu whistled in protest when José Mourinho's name was announced through the loudspeakers, before applauding that of Iker Casillas.

This all came after being knocked out of the Champions League semi-final by Borussia Dortmund and Mourinho’s latest statements, in which he spoke out against Casillas and the press, whilst refusing to reveal his future.

In the first minute of the game, the usual chants in support of José Mourinho echoed from the stands occupied by Real’s more radical fans, chants that on this occasion were snubbed by a number of supporters, who once again whistled in protest.

A BRACE FOR THE PORTUGUESE, BOTH HEADERS

Real Madrid did the business against Real Valladolid -not without suffering- and has put Barcelona under pressure. Marc Valiente, scoring an own-goal, a brace by Ronaldo and Kaká scored for Los Blancos, who tonight rest eight points behind the leader.

Barcelona will not be able to win the league this Sunday and will have to wait until next week, when it visits Atlético at the Vicente Calderón. The title could be theirs a few days earlier, if Real Madrid fails to beat Málaga in the league game which has been brought forward.

Los Blancos managed to get the job done against a Real Valladolid side that put up a fight, taking the lead with a goal by Óscar. Real Madrid drew level from a Di María strike, which Marc Valiente deflected into his own net.

Then the Cristiano Ronaldo show began, to make it 2-1 with a headed goal, before rattling the crossbar from a free kick. However, Valladolid responded and drew things level again with a Javi Guerra goal.

Kaká and Cristiano Ronaldo gave Real some breathing space, although a Sastre screamer gave them a fright just before the end.

ACCORDING TO 'LA GAZZETTA DELLO SPORT'

Juventus is thinking of Paris Saint-Germain’s Swedish forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic, or, failing that, Real Madrid’s Argentinian forward Gonzalo Higuaín, as a possible reinforcement for its forward line, according to Saturday’s edition of the Italian sports daily, ‘La Gazzetta dello Sport’.

The paper reports that Juventus’s priority is Ibrahimovitch, wanted by those in charge of the club to play alongside Fernando Llorente in the team’s forward line. The Spanish international signed a four-year contract to this end last January, and it will come into force in July.

'La Gazzetta dello Sport' also states that in spite of the fact that negotiations over Ibrahimovitch have not yet begun, the player has indicated that the idea of playing in Italy again is appealing. He already played two seasons at Juventus, the club which tomorrow could become champions of the Italian league for the second year in a row.

Ibrahimovitch’s present contract with PSG runs until 2015 - €12 million annually, plus bonuses. However, according to the ‘Gazzetta’, he would be prepared to drop his price to €9 million if Juventus were to offer him a longer contract. The problem, according to the paper, is that Juventus is prepared to offer him only €7 million and a contract for four years, even though no contact has yet been made with the French club, which is concerned at present with the possible departure of manager Carlo Ancelotti for Real Madrid.

MET WITH HIM AT THE BERNABÉU AFTER TUESDAY'S GAME

Just minutes after Borussia had snatched the Champions League final from the jaws of a sweating, panting Real Madrid in a heart-stopping second leg at the Bernabéu, the president Florentino Perez took Robert Lewandowski by the arm and led him to one of the offices in the stadium.

One of the unwritten laws of football the world over is: if you hurt me, score against me, and especially score goals that knock me out, next season you'll work for me. That's exactly what is happening to Borussia Dortmund striker, Robert Lewandowski, who has done all three.

Just minutes after Borussia had snatched the Champions League final from the jaws of a sweating, panting Real Madrid in a heart-stopping second leg at the Bernabéu, Florentino Perez approached Lewandowski. The president took him by the arm and led him to one of the offices in the stadium, relatively close to the changing rooms tunnel.

The Borussia striker and the almighty president of Real Madrid talked for about 10 minutes. The Polish star –a hero in Dortmund after scoring four goals against Real Madrid in the Champions League semifinal – was shocked at Florentino’s initiative. His claim to fame now is that he has had a meeting very few players in the world have had. Zidane and Kaká are among the privileged few.

The President got straight to the point and told him he wanted to sign him and Lewandowski didn’t dismiss the idea outright, in spite of having an agreement with Bayern. The truth of the matter is that there are few players in the world who would dare to deny Florentino Pérez this pleasure. In fact, the Borussia striker was totally gobsmacked by the scene he lived at the Bernabéu on Tuesday.

A PORTRAIT OF ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI

Robert Lewandowski was always meant to be an elite athlete. It’s in his genes. His father, Krzysztof, was a judo champion at national level. He also took his first steps as a footballer and even played for Hutnik Warsaw in the Polish second division. His mother, Iwona, was a volleyball player for AZS Warsaw. When she retired she became a coach and guided Lewandowski’s sister Milena in the early days of her sporting career. Now she is an international player on the Polish under 21 volleyball team.

Although he was thin and his "growth spurt" was a long-time coming, Lewandowski shone at cross-country, just like another of the Whites' targets, Gareth Bale.

However, what Robert really enjoyed was running ... after a ball. His passion for football was such that, so they say, his father asked the priest to speed the mass ceremony up at his First Communion, so he could play a match.

His mother, Iwona, has been crucial in his career because his father, Krzysztof, died when he was just 15 years old. Rumour has it that it was Jan Urban who cut short his career at the Polish giant, claiming "He doesn’t fit in with our philosophy".

His relationship with sport doesn’t end there either. His girlfriend, Anna Stachurska, whom he plans to marry next summer, won the bronze medal at the 2009 World Karate Championships. The paparazzi follow them everywhere. "We're not the Polish version of the Beckhams" he protests.

However, Lewandowski admits that he practices certain movements with Ana that help improve his acrobatic skills. No wonder Nuri Sahin nicknamed him 'The Body'.

EXPECTS PORTUGUESE STAR TO SIGN NEW DEAL

Real Madrid legend Raúl expects Cristiano Ronaldo to sign a new contract at the club and stay there for many years to come. "He is at Real Madrid now and I think his future is there too. But it's up to him", he told French weekly 'Le 10 Sport'.

The veteran forward went on to laud the Portuguese, with whom he shared a dressing room for a year at Real. "Cristiano is a top player and a top professional. I spent a year alongside him and I'm full of admiration for him".

Raúl also had words of praise for Karim Benzema. "He struggled to adapt a bit at the beginning, but he is an extremely classy player. It's all about him knuckling down on a day-to-day basis", he stated.

SHOULD MAKE SQUAD FOR 17TH MAY

Marcelo is pulling out all the stops in his attempt to recover in time for Friday 17th May, when Real Madrid and Atlético will lock horns in their Spanish Cup final showdown at the Santiago Bernabéu.

However speedy his recovery, the Brazilian looks unlikely to start. Mourinho has been delighted with Coentrao's recent performances on the left side of defence, meaning, barring any injuries, the Portuguese's name can already be pencilled in on the team sheet. Nevertheless, Marcelo is refusing to be discouraged by this situation.

The flamboyant full-back is doing everything in his power to feature in the cup final. The Brazilian is desperate to get back into the swing of things with a view to getting the nod to represent his country at the upcoming Confederations Cup.

A return to action wouldn't come a moment too soon for Marcelo, who was clearly on the edge throughout the midweek clash with Borussia Dortmund. The full-back watched the encounter, plain-clothed, from the players' tunnel until the last few minutes, when he ventured onto the pitch in protest at a handful of decisions made by referee Howard Webb.

On a different note, the club has now discovered the extent of the right hamstring injury Sergio Ramos picked up against the German outfit, which will keep him out for around 10 days. This means the Andalusian defender ought to be a shoo-in for the final, which is the last trophy Real Madrid can get its hands on this season. What's more, he should skipper the side, as Diego López will be in goal in place of Iker Casillas.

The news is less positive for Álvaro Arbeloa, who is continuing to be plagued by back problems. The full-back has even undergone injections in a bid to shake off his injury ordeal.

TARGETING "AT LEAST ONE GOOD SEASON AT REAL MADRID"

In an interview with ESPN, Kaká spoke about his past and present and made it clear that he would welcome Carlo Ancelotti's arrival at Real Madrid with open arms. "The best years of my career came under him", the Brazilian stated.

Should the PSG coach decide to trade Paris for Madrid, this could boost the Brazilian's hopes of seeing out his 'Los Blancos' contract. "My priority is to stay at Real Madrid for the next two years. I'd love the chance to play more often. That's my first choice – if it's not to be, then I'll start looking for alternatives", he told ESPN.

During the interview, Kaká shed some light on his struggles in Madrid. "I want to have at least one good season at Real Madrid: that's the challenge I've set myself. I don't know if you know what it's like to be frustrated in your job, but that's the sort of feeling I have here. I'm waiting until the end of the season to find out if I'm staying, on what terms and if I'm going to get more playing time", he acknowledged.

The ex-Milan ace admitted that things are up in the air in the Spanish capital. "It's difficult to say what's going to happen, which players are going to stay, whether Mou is carrying on, what the plan is going to be...", he claimed.

If one thing's for sure, however, it's that the Brazilian isn't planning on leaving Europe any time soon: "Going back to Brazil isn't my priority – I want to stay in Europe for a while longer. After that, then maybe I'll consider going back".

MADRID MANAGER DEFENDS HIS EUROPEAN ACHIEVEMENTS

José Mourinho made a press conference appearance to defend Madrid's achievements: "In 21 years, 18 managers and five semi-finals. And the bad guy is Mou". He also stressed: "I haven't decided whether I'm going or staying. My wife and children will be the first to know my decision." He once again referred to his possible departure during the press conference: "I can confirm that I have five more games to play and a Copa del Rey final. I will talk to the president about my future at the end of the season. And, as we are friends, we'll sit down and speak calmly".

"I'm working with professionalism, and I still have the same honour and pleasure to work for this club as I did a month or two ago", he added. Mourinho believes he will be fine when he leaves Madrid: "I don't feel pressurised by the press. It's not a problem for me. I put pressure on myself. There are no negative words from the clubs I have left, quite the opposite. The day I leave here won't be any different".

"You won't be able to delete my Liga win from the records", he said before providing a reminder that "we won the Copa del Rey after 20 years". He also talked about Barça: "For me, it's a point of pride to have been the Real Madrid coach that has broken Barcelona's dominance in Spain".

He also seemed to have a message for Casillas, without naming names: "Problems arise when one person thinks he's better than the rest. I haven't had any problems with those players who see themselves as equals".

HE DEFENDED HIS ACHIEVEMENTS AT MADRID

Mourinho pulled out another of his little notes to remember the list of 18 managers who have managed to reach five Champions League semi-finals: "Toshack, Di Stéfano, Arsenio, Floro, Capello... And Mou's the bad guy with three". "There have been 18 managers in 21 years and in total they've managed five semi-finals in 21 years. And the bad guy is Mou, with three," he said in his assessment of the three semi-finals which he has reached over the last three seasons.

"I've won so very, very much that the expectations are always higher than what you achieve. I'm going to pull out one of my famous notes: the record-breaking league title is mine, and you're going to want to erase that but you can't. We won the cup after going 20 years without winning the cup. You can't erase that either. The Super Cup is tiny compared to the three Champions League semi-finals, which don't boost my ego or leave me satisfied. It can't be easy to achieve. It can't be easy because out of Toshack, Di Stéfano, Antic, Arsenio, Capello, Floro, Valdano, Heynckes, Hiddink, Camacho, López Caro, García Remón, Del Bosque, Queiroz, Luxemburgo, Juande, Schuster and Pellegrini; the bad guy is Mou, with three."

BELIEVES KLOPP INSPIRES MOTIVATION TO GET OUT THERE AND PLAY

In his weekly appearance on Spanish Radio football show 'El Larguero', Jorge Valdano praised the achievements made by the German teams in the Champions League: "German football and Bayern know where they want to go, they are copying the best in football." On the situation in the 'Los Blancos' camp, he said: "Real Madrid is very complex, very large, there are millions of people behind the club".

He believes a change of coach to be on the cards: "Madrid still has an extraordinary squad. With that in mind, I don't see Mourinho's leaving as anything major". He tips an Italian to be next on the 'Los Blancos' bench: "Ancelotti is a man of consensus, has a great ability to create consensus, he is open to discussion and peaceful". Summing him up in one sentence: "Ancelotti acts very naturally in confrontational situations."

Many would prefer a German manager: "I like Klopp a lot; he's an optimistic person who makes his team smile. His teams seem very motivated to get out there and play". He flagged up Dortmund's top level Polish player: "Lewandowski is a very interesting striker, he also plays for a team that likes to play football". Madrid almost managed to make it a night to remember: "The comeback is Real Madrid's hallmark, both in the team and its supporters; it's an amazing thing".

It was an impossible feat for the 'Azulgranas': "Barcelona relied on its game, it doesn't have a history of making comebacks". A team that needs reinforcements: "Barça needs Neymar more than Madrid does".

BENZEMA AND HIGUAÍN MAKE THE SQUAD AFTER TRAINING SEPARATELY

José Mourinho has named 20 players for this Saturday's game against Real Valladolid. Sergio Ramos, Arbeloa and Marcelo are out through injury. Higuaín and Benzema have, however, made the squad, despite not having trained with the rest of their teammates in the run-up to tomorrow's game against the 'Albivioletas'.

As for Ramos, the Spaniard is out with a muscle injury. Mourinho will keep him sidelined to make sure that he is as fit as possible for the cup final against Atlético (17th May).

ACCORDING TO THE 'L'EQUIPE 21' TELEVISION PROGRAMME

The 'L'Equipe 21' television programme, run by the French newspaper 'L'Equipe', reported yesterday that Verratti's agent, Donato di Campli, was in Madrid to negotiate the signing of the 20-year-old Italian midfielder by Real Madrid. The young PSG midfielder is one of Carlo Ancelotti's requests, the big favourite to take up the Madrid dugout next season.

REAL LOOKS TO OFFLOAD COENTRAO, PEPE, DI MARÍA, HIGUAÍN AND KAKA

Coentrao is the first player 'Los Blancos' are looking to cash in on. Florentino never wanted to buy the full-back in the first place, and he now looks set to leave over the summer. Jorge Mendes, Coentrao's agent, always guaranteed the club wouldn't lose any money on him, and the Portuguese has had an €18 million price tag slapped on him.

Pepe, also Portuguese, is the second player on the list. Recently relegated to the subs bench by Varane and criticised after the game in Dortmund, he's 30 years old now and pockets a cool €3.8 million a year after tax. The Bernabéu feels it has got its money's worth out of Pepe and he'll be able to leave for around €20 million.

Di María looks to be an 'in demand' player over this summer's transfer window. Bale's arrival means the Argentine will have limited chances at Real and the club wants to take advantage of a likely bidding war between three big spenders: Manchester United, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain. 'Los Blancos' aren't ready to entertain any offers under €25 million for his services though, and it's likely the final fee for 'El Fideo' could exceed €30 million.

Higuaín, alongside Di María, is the player that Madrid is looking to get the most money for. The club hopes to bank another €30 million, at least, with various offers already coming in from the Premier League and Serie A. Juventus looks to be in pole position for signing the Argentine.

Kaka's story is a bit different from the others. After trying, in vain, to sell him for the last two years, the club now hopes that the fast-approaching World Cup in Brazil will motivate the Ballon d'Or winning samba star to move on in an attempt to finally get some playing time.

WEBB'S FULL-TIME WHISTLE USHERED IN NEW ERA

The Real Madrid of the future got underway a minute after assimilating that the club will have to wait at least another season to win its tenth European Cup title. Just as the Bernabeu was giving the team its farewell standing ovation, Casillas gave Ramos an emotional embrace, the victors sought out Ronaldo to request his shirt and Mourinho strategically prepared his statement for the press.

Even the bitterest defeat can offer up beneficial conclusions for the future. The first: the understanding achieved between the fans and the team at the final whistle.

It had been years since the stadium offered such fervent support from the first minute to the last to end with that final gesture of gratitude to the players for their effort.

REAL MADRID STILL HOT ON THE WELSHMAN

Top of the list when it comes to Real Madrid's transfer targets is Gareth Bale, whose Premier League peers recently voted him the PFA Player of the Year. His value has skyrocketed in recent months, as always seems to happen whenever 'Los Blancos' come calling for a player.

Asking price aside, the club knows that clinching the Welshman's signature is going to be an uphill battle, not least because the Tottenham chairman, Daniel Levy, is a fierce negotiator. He will want to start talks at the €70-75 million mark, an amount Real is unwilling to shell out.

One of Bale's major appeals is his adeptness in several positions. As well as lining up at left-back or on either flank, he can also play off the striker, as he is currently doing for Spurs.