Porto boss to call in favour from Robson
Newcastle boss Bobby Robson could find himself being quizzed about Manchester United as the knockout stage for this season’s Champions League gets underway.
Old friend Jose Mourinho will lead his Porto side into battle against Alex Ferguson’s men over two legs in February and March after yesterday’s draw in Nyon.
Mourinho’s involvement in top-class football began when he was employed as Robson’s interpreter when he moved to Sporting Lisbon in 1992, an association which was to take him to Porto and then Barcelona with the Englishman.
When Robson was replaced at the Nou Camp by Dutchman Louis van Gaal, the former schoolteacher stayed on to further his football education, and the dividends that has paid are there for all to see.
Now Mourinho is contemplating a plum Champions League draw against one of the perennial favourites to lift the trophy and he could hardly be more excited.
“Jose rang me this morning, he said it was a fabulous draw – but he would have preferred them in the final,” said Robson, who will miss out on the chance to watch the games because of his side’s continuing involvement in the UEFA Cup.
“I was hoping to go because I would have fancied it. He’s not picked my brains yet, but he’s coming to England when we play United in January and Sir Alex plays his best side against us, so he can see them at their best.”
Mourinho himself could not contain his excitement over the prospect of facing United and seeing his side play at Old Trafford.
“It’s fantastic,” said Mourinho. “In Brazil people say the person who never played at the Maracana Stadium (in Rio de Janeiro) will never be a player.
“We can say the same about Old Trafford, San Siro or the Santiago Bernabeu.
“Old Trafford is a stadium where everyone dreams of playing and because of this it will be a fantastic round.”
Porto, who won the European Cup and Intercontinental Cup in 1987, will be playing their first European match in their own Dragao Stadium which has been built for Euro 2004 and Mourinho believes that United are fitting opponents.
“I’m glad, it’s the inauguration of the Dragao stadium in European competitions,” he said. “We have a 50% chance of making it through because Manchester United are a team from the top of world football.”
Referring to the expected hostile atmosphere at Old Trafford he said: “We had enough mental strength and organisation to face hostile environments at Marseille and Madrid and so the 67,000 English supporters will be a motivation for my players.”
