We need better players but are doing
JOSE Mourinho has claimed he always felt that Manchester United were fighting for second place in their Champions League group behind the Juventus side that beat them 1-0 at Old Trafford last night, as he lauded the Serie A champions for their ambition in what seemed another loaded comment about his own club’s perceived lack of ambition.
The Portuguese pointedly went on about how Juve are “not happy with what they have” and “want more”, “want the best players in the world”, and have “a big desire to have a big future”.
When asked how far off Juventus’ level United are, Mourinho said “a bit”, before pointedly mentioning Manchester City and saying the only way you get there is investment.
The comments come after a summer when there was disagreement between the manager and the United hierarchy about signings, with Mourinho unhappy about the lack of investment — especially in centre-halves.
He conspicuously praised Giorgio Chiellini and Leo Bonucci as capable of giving classes in “Harvard” about defending, and praised Juve’s ambition in signing the latter back from AC Milan.
“Like (after) the draw, we knew it would be a fight with Valencia for second position,” Mourinho said after what was a chastening 1-0 defeat to Juventus that could have been worse.
He was also asked how far United are off that level.
“A bit, a bit far,” Mourinho said. “Juventus is champions for seven years in a row, two Champions League finals in four or five years and not happy with