Jose Mourinho: CSKA played a very hard and serious game

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho spoke about his team’s draw with CSKA Moscow after the game in Moscow.

«Having led the game and conceded so late it doesn’t leave a good taste in the mouth, but at the same time it’s not a drama. Last year against Lyon it was a similar situation at this stage and we managed to win the second leg at home. I’m not happy but I’m not all that sad. Tonight’s result means we must step up for the second leg,» the Portuguese manager stated in the post-match conference.

«Our opponents played a very hard and serious game. Their goal will give them a lot of joy. I’d be happy if all our away legs finished 1-1. I brought Raúl Albiol on for Mesut Özil because I saw it as a good option when our opponents had a tall player alongside [Seydou] Doumbia. I saw Albiol as the ideal player to defend that situation. I liked his attitude a lot and they way in which he did what he had to do,» the former Chelsea boss added.

Mourinho also had a poke at the referees, who, he hinted, seemed to be too lenient.

«I felt during the match that if one of my players gets injured – it will be «thanks» to Wernbloom, but, as it turned out, Benzema got injured by accident. But before the equalizer Ronaldo was brought down and the ref played on. That was a refereeing mistake. I was hoping that a more experienced official would be appointed to this match,» the Galacticos boss claimed.