Brash Mour
> after late Fellaini show secures Man Utd last 16 place
MANCHESTER UNITED manager Jose Mourinho boasted about his Champions League record after Marouane Fellaini’s injury time winner fired his side into the last 16 with a 1-0 win over Young Boys at Old Trafford.
The three-time European champions sealed their place in the knockout stages with a slice of fortune when Fellaini controlled the ball with his hand before firing into the far corner.
Mourinho, who went on to pick up and hurl a drinks container to the ground after the winning goal, admitted his “relief” that it meant United would now not have to suffer a nervous night in Valencia in the final round of group matches
“We didn’t play to be in trouble until the last minute. I was frustrated we couldn’t score,” Mourinho said.
“My players were very tired at the end. That’s what I want… We qualified. We did it.”
“For some of my lovers, for those who like stats, 14 seasons in the Champions League, 14 times qualify through the group phases,” added Mourinho on his personal record as boss of Porto, Chelsea and Real Madrid as well as
United.
“Never one of my teams stays behind the group phase. The season I didn’t play Champions League, I won the Europa League.”
But there was little for Mourinho to brag about from another laboured performance as United were on the verge of failing to score for a third consecutive European home game for the first time ever.
Mourinho acknowledged this as he added: “Realistically, to be in the last 16 is an achievement – not a big one or a fantastic one, but an achievement.
“There are better teams than us. Teams with more quality and realistic ambitions. When a team arrives in the quarterfinals, anything can happen,” said Mourinho, who has had to withstand a barrage of criticism this season for United’s poor results an insipid attacking football.
In keeping with United’s struggles under the former Real Madrid boss, it could have been even worse but for the brilliance of goalkeeper david De Gea, who produced a stunning save from Ulisses Garcia’s deflected effort to deny Young Boys midway through the second-half.
“From my position, David’s save – only one save in the whole game – but it looks a phenomenal save,” said Mourinho.
“He is the best goalkeeper in the world. If our ambitions are to have the best in the world, we have to keep him,” Mourinho added.
“I know he wants to stay, I know his agent (Jorge Mendes) is happy to do what the player wants and I also know the board want him to stay and they are working on that so hopefully sooner or later they reach a conclusion.”
Mourinho made the bold decision to leave Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku on the bench and Alexis Sanchez out of his squad as his made six changes from a drab goalless draw with Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Marcus Rashford was given his chance to start as centre-forward, but Mourinho was less than impressed with the 21-year-old just five minutes in when he dinked his finish over the bar with just goalkeeper David von Ballmoos to beat.
“This is the type of game where if you score in the first minute normally you go for a different kind of performance, but it is still very difficult for us to score,” responded Mourinho when asked about his exasperated reaction when Rashford missed. – AFP / Reuters