Left field

from Reuters Soccer Blog:

Real fans still in love with controversial Mourinho

Jose Mourinho was given a rapturous reception by the Real Madrid faithful when his side entertained Galatasaray in a friendly on Wednesday.

It was a show of unity likely to leave club president Florentino Perez in no doubt that whatever reservations he might have over his stubbornly controversial coach the majority of Madrid supporters love him.

Mourinho may have shocked even the most loyal of Madrid fans when he calmly jabbed a finger in the eye of Barca assistant coach Tito Vilanova during the mass confrontation between the sides at the end of last week’s Spanish Super Cup match.

Bizarrely, Mourinho denied any knowledge of the incident and the war of words was taken up by the local media along the battle lines already drawn up from last season’s increasingly acrimonious run of ‘clasicos’.