Mourinho Takes Shot at Man United Transfer Policy After Praising Juventus Duo
Jose Mourinho has heaped praise on Juventus' defensive duo of Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci after the pair shut out Manchester United in the Champions League, with the Portuguese boss also taking aim at the club's transfer policy in the process.
Mourinho's pursuit for new central defenders over the summer was well documented, but he failed to obtain any of his targets and it is still a sore point for the United manager.
Juve outclassed their opponents on Tuesday night as Paulo Dybala's first-half strike was enough to seal all three points, but Mourinho suggested the root of the Serie A sides' victory - and their continued success - was due to the prowess of both Bonucci and Chiellini.
"When we speak about quality sometimes people look for Cristiano Ronaldo, Paulo Dybala, Miralem Pjanic," Mourinho told BT Sport post-match.
"But in the top team, you have to look to Chiellini and Bonucci and I think they are this kind of team when they are in front it is very difficult to concede a goal.
"In the second half Juventus defended and they held the game with an extra center back so it was a really difficult match for us. I thought before the game and during the game that we could take something out of this game but we couldn’t score."
The United boss then appeared to take a swipe at the club's board for not backing him in the transfer window as he reiterated his praise for Juve's central defenders.
"I have to say Juventus are a different level and if people don’t want to accept that that is their problem," Mourinho added.
"They are a different level of quality, experience and know-how. At the base of the team they have Bonucci and Chiellini and that allows them to play with freedom in the attack, creating and losing the ball, 'no problem we are here.'"
Luke Shaw, meanwhile, was left to rue United's lack of aggression during the defeat as he said, via the Daily Mail: "I think first half we gave them too much respect and we let them play far too easy.
"Second half we tried and like other games we pushed more in the second half. At times today we didn't create too many clear-cut chances.
"I think first half they had way too much time on the ball and we expected it. We should have pressed higher and been more aggressive and that cost us with the goal," he added.
