Real fans back Casillas over Mourinho

ken down with a series of barbed comments in a news conference on Friday.

He said he regretted not buying Lopez earlier in his three-year stint in the Spanish capital and that he could not work with players who “think they are above the rest ”.

Fans at the Bernabeu on Saturday made their feelings clear when Casillas ’ s name was roundly cheered when it was read out among the list of substitutes, while Mourinho was whistled by a significant section of the crowd.

The sense that all is not well at the club after Tuesday ’ s elimination from the Champions League was heightened after the game when Pepe, Mourinho ’ s Portuguese compatriot, criticised the coach in a television interview.

“In my opinion, maybe the coach ’ s words (on Friday) were not entirely appropriate,” he told broadcaster Canal Plus.

“We have to show a bit more respect for Iker.

“Iker is a player who is part of Madrid, he is an institution, in this club and in Spain.

“He has to know that we the players are with him.”

As has become customary when Real win a league match, Mourinho sent out his assistant Aitor Karanka to give the post-match news conference on Saturday.

Asked about the fans ’ reaction to Mourinho, Karanka said it had to be respected.

He declined to comment on why Mourinho had elected not to emerge from the dugout during the match. – Reuters