Mourinho: ´Scandal of the Bernabeu´

Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho launched a remarkable outburst at the ‘power’ of Barcelona over referees after Wednesday’s 2-0 defeat.

In the third of four El Clasicos, Barcelona took the advantage after the first leg of the Champions League semi-final tie at the Bernabeu, courtesy of a stunning Lionel Messi brace.

Messi’s masterclass ensures the task of Mourinho guiding Real through the second leg at Camp Nou next Wednesday and into the final at Wembley is a tough one.

“The return game is mission impossible,” former Chelsea and Inter Milan manager Mourinho said.”Barcelona has qualified for the final.”

But while he conceded the tie to Pep Guardiola’s side, Mourinho launched a vicious tirade over the performance of the match officials, accusing them of handing his opponents preferential treatment.

The Portuguese suggested Pepe’s sending off in the 61 minute for an untimely lunge on Dani Alves was a result of outside forces gifting the Catalans an upper hand.

“Sometimes I feel disgusted about this football world of ours. (And) yes, we have already been knocked out,” said Mourinho, who himself was sent to the stands for his protests over Pepe’s dismissal.

“No one has any chance against Barca. Where does all this power come from? To win like this is very nasty.”

“We had the intention to keep the game at 0-0, then bring on a striker, then a third phase with a number 10 behind three forwards. But the ref didn’t allow it.”

The reigning Champions League winning coach also alluded to the controversial circumstances with which eventual 2008/09 champions Barca qualified for the final after knocking out Chelsea in the semi-final, likening his former side’s plight to his own.

“I would be ashamed if I was Barca, how they won Champions League in 2009 – (it) was the scandal of Stamford Bridge,” he said.

“(And now) this is the scandal of the Bernabeu.”

“But I just do not understand why Barcelona always receives the help of the referee. All my life I will be asking myself this question, and one day I hope to receive an answer.”

“I don’t understand why Barcelona have this power. It happened two years ago to Chelsea (in the 2009 semi-finals), almost to my Inter last year, and also to Arsenal this year.”

“Why do the opponents of Barcelona always have a man sent off? Where does this power come from? Maybe it is to give more publicity to UNICEF, maybe because of the power of (Spanish federation president Jose Angel) Villar in UEFA.”