Mour fixture flexibility to compete

JOSE MOURINHO has warned that English teams will NEVER succeed in the Champions League again unless they get more help from the Premier League.

The Manchester United boss, whose side kick off their campaign at home to Basel tonight, is unhappy that their European rivals have more time to prepare, with Paris St-Germain and Benfica playing league games last Friday ahead of action tonight.

United last lifted the trophy in 2008 and Mourinho said: “It’s a waste of time to be speaking about what we can do, because we cannot do it. We have to face what we have.

“We have to admit there are differences in relation to other countries, that’s obvious, but there is nothing to do. That’s the way it is.”

Mourinho claims that Real Madrid and Juventus managed to stay fresh for last season’s final by resting players in their domestic leagues, which they won.

He added: “Real Madrid last year played the last month in La Liga with the second team. And they arrived in the final with a fresh team.

“Juventus, because they were champions in Italy three months in advance, could play the last month with the second team. For English teams, normally, that’s impossible because the competition is very strong until the end.”