Real Madrid vs Auxerre preview - Fernandez support for Mourinho

Posted Wednesday, December 08, 2010 by PA

Auxerre coach Jean Fernandez feels Jose Mourinho can count himself unlucky to be banned for their Champions League clash at the Bernabeu, claiming all he has done is look out for the best interests of his team.

Mourinho will be missing from the dugout after being found guilty of improper conduct by UEFA over the dismissals of Xabi Alonso and Sergio Ramos in Madrid's last Champions League outing against Ajax.

Alonso and Ramos allegedly deliberately incurred second bookings for time-wasting late on in the 4-0 win over Ajax to give themselves a clean slate for the knockout stage

Fernandez said: "Mourinho is not the only coach who has acted like that.

"The sanction seems a little excessive to me. I would've done the same but as I'm not Mourinho I would not have had such an impact in the media.

"Everyone looks for the best for their team."

Alonso and Ramos are banned against Auxerre, while also missing for the Spanish giants are the injured Gonzalo Higuain, Angel Di Maria, Sami Khedira, Kaka, Fernando Gago and Sergio Canales, while Iker Casillas has been rested.

All that is good news for the French side, who will need to upset the odds if they are to continue in Europe after Christmas.

With Madrid guaranteed to finish in first place and AC Milan assured of second spot, the only remaining battle in Group G heading into the final round of fixtures is between and Ajax and Auxerre for third place and entry into the Europa League.

Ajax currently hold the upper hand, lying one point above the Ligue 1 side, and that means they will need to better the Dutch giants' result away to Milan if they are to claim third.

Getting anything out of their trip to the Spanish capital will not be easy, though, with Madrid having won their last 13 competitive matches in front of their own fans, scoring 44 goals in the process and conceding just seven.

Nevertheless, Auxerre captain Benoit Pedretti insists his side are giving nothing up for lost.

He said: "We've not come to the Bernabeu as tourists but to do the best we can.

"It's a fact of football that if you look at the two teams there is no point of comparison. We will give it everything we can, we will work hard, be united and try to score. We've come to get a good result.

"We have quality players who can keep the ball and we can cause Real Madrid danger. Our team isn't bad at all. The key will be to have a good base in defence and then try to attack."

Taking Mourinho's place on the bench will be assistant coach Aitor Karanka, who also took charge as the Portuguese served a two-match domestic touchline ban recently following his dismissal in the Copa del Rey game against Real Murcia.

In the two games that Mourinho was sitting in the stands, Madrid beat Sporting Gijon 1-0 away and Athletic Bilbao 5-1 at home.