Jose Mourinho Blasts Man Utd's Medical Staff After Ander Herrera Injury Leaves Him Red Faced
Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has taken aim at his club's own medical department after Ander Herrera's early injury forced him into making an unwanted change in United's 0-0 draw against Sevilla in the first leg of the last-16 Champions League tie on Wednesday.
The Red Devils' manager opted to be without Paul Pogba in a midfield three in Spain after a series of poor performances from the Frenchman, however Herrera's injury in the opening 20 minutes unravelled Mourinho's plans as he was forced to introduce Pogba off the bench.
Aitor Alcalde/GettyImages
With his plans scuppered following Herrera's early hamstring injury, Mourinho slammed United's medical personnel after they insisted the midfielder was fit to see out the entire game.
“I think it is a bad injury. He had a small injury that stopped him playing in the last couple of matches, but the medical department made him 100% ready for last Saturday," Mourinho explained, via the Daily Star.
“We didn’t play him to give more work and more protection but it looks like he wasn’t fully fit. The medical department made him fully fit. He trained and he looked fit.
“The way he was playing he showed that intensity that is only possible when you are fit. He was pressing really high, we were not giving one inch to them.
“Then the backheel created the contraction in the muscular error and now we have proof he was not 100 per cent fit.”
Whilst Mourinho's rumblings with Pogba look set to continue into the near future, on United's performance as a whole against Sevilla he was of the belief that his side produced enough to suggest they will progress to the quarter-finals of the competition.
He added: “I’m not relieved because I think we finished the game with more space, with more chances of scoring a goal.
“I think the only moment where we felt relieved was in the last couple of minutes in the first half following a couple of our mistakes. They had a couple of good situations.
“So I really feel the result reflects what the game was. You ask me is it a good result? It is not good and it is not bad.“Now we have one game to decide everything at OT. It’s knockout football and it will be a big Champions League night.”
