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Irate Mourinho blames Khedira for Levante loss
Source: Agencies |
September 20, 2011, Tuesday
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REAL Madrid coach Jose Mourinho criticized midfielder Sami Khedira after the German international got himself sent off in Sunday's shock 0-1 defeat at tiny Levante.
Khedira, making his first appearance of the season after injury, was shown a second yellow card shortly before halftime after getting caught up in a melee and shoving the home side's captain Sergio Ballesteros to the ground.
Portuguese Mourinho accused Levante of baiting his players but said Khedira had shown a lack of intelligence by reacting as Real suffered its first setback of the campaign following wins in its first two games.
"The blame in my opinion lies with one of my players who was lured into a trap," he said.
Mourinho, who joked before the game that Real's priority this season was to avoid relegation, said he and the players had studied videos of similar situations that had led to red cards as part of their preparation for the match in Valencia.
"I thought that this would not happen and that nobody would get a red," he said. "They have to have enough intelligence to avoid situations like that and have a sense of whether the referee will allow it or not.
"That's why I have to congratulate Levante for being clever, because they know how to provoke, simulate, not give back the ball, waste time, and that is also part of football."
The result leaves Real on six points from three matches, one behind champion Barcelona. Valencia is top on a perfect nine points and ahead of promoted Real Betis on goal difference.
Khedira, making his first appearance of the season after injury, was shown a second yellow card shortly before halftime after getting caught up in a melee and shoving the home side's captain Sergio Ballesteros to the ground.
Portuguese Mourinho accused Levante of baiting his players but said Khedira had shown a lack of intelligence by reacting as Real suffered its first setback of the campaign following wins in its first two games.
"The blame in my opinion lies with one of my players who was lured into a trap," he said.
Mourinho, who joked before the game that Real's priority this season was to avoid relegation, said he and the players had studied videos of similar situations that had led to red cards as part of their preparation for the match in Valencia.
"I thought that this would not happen and that nobody would get a red," he said. "They have to have enough intelligence to avoid situations like that and have a sense of whether the referee will allow it or not.
"That's why I have to congratulate Levante for being clever, because they know how to provoke, simulate, not give back the ball, waste time, and that is also part of football."
The result leaves Real on six points from three matches, one behind champion Barcelona. Valencia is top on a perfect nine points and ahead of promoted Real Betis on goal difference.
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