MANCHESTER – (Reuters) Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has risked angering the club’s supporters by saying that Tuesday’s tame Champions League exit was “nothing new” for the club as he pointed to his past success against them.
United suffered a shock exit in the last 16 with a 2-1 defeat by Sevilla after substitute Wissam Ben Yedder struck twice at Old Trafford. The Spaniards sealed a 2-1 aggregate victory having drawn the first leg 0-0 in Spain.
Speaking after the match, Mourinho said United had failed to progress despite giving their best then proceeded to talk about his victories over his current club when he managed Porto in 2004 and Real Madrid five years ago.
“I sat in this chair twice in the Champions League after knocking out Manchester United (in the last 16) at home, at Old Trafford,” Mourinho said.
“In this chair with Porto and Real Madrid, they are out both times. It is not something new for the club… I don’t want to make a drama out of it, we don’t have time for that,” the Portuguese manager added.
With their campaign in Europe’s elite club competition cut short, United will turn their attention to the FA Cup, a competition in which they host Brighton and Hove Albion in the quarter-finals on Saturday.
“We have no time to be sad for more than 24 hours. That’s football, it’s not the end of the world,” Mourinho said.
