Jose Mourinho reacted angrily to a question about Alexis Sanchez’s tactical discipline after Manchester United’s goalless draw with Sevilla on Wednesday evening. United now require a victory at Old Trafford to be certain of a place in the Champions League quarter-finals after struggling to create chances during the first leg of their last-16 tie in Spain. Sanchez failed to make much of an impact against Sevilla and was substituted with 15 minutes remaining. After the match, Mourinho was asked if Sanchez responded well to tactical instructions, and the United manager delivered a scathing response. ‘I think you are all, or many of you, in a new sport, you know?’ he said.
‘When in England some guys they say the wingers they should not defend, the next time I see David Beckham I am going to ask him: “David, when you were playing right wing in Manchester United, when the left back attack, do you stay looking at the stand or you come back with the guy?” I’m going to ask David that. ‘And everybody knows I’m not a big friend with Roy Keane or Paul Scholes, but I will ask them: “when your team lost the ball did you drop back or stay walking on the pitch?” ‘Because now it looks like all the good players they have to play free, and when the team has the ball.
‘But I think that is such a stupid thing to say. When the team has the ball, you attack. When the team doesn’t have the ball, you defend. ‘It’s as simple as that. But it looks like know some guys are creating a new sport. But I still don’t see it. ‘Because the winning teams, the top teams in the world, now, not 20 or 30 years ago, now – everybody works. Everybody has tactical discipline.’
