Di Stefano wants media to be fair to Mourinho

Posted Friday, February 22, 2013 by Foxsports.com

Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stefano has accused the Spanish media of causing unrest at the club with their criticism of manager Jose Mourinho.

Los Blancos have been less than impressive this season, recording a string of inconsistent score-lines that leaves them 16 points behind rivals Barcelona in the La Liga table.

On top of their results on the pitch, Mourinho was also involved in altercations with Real Madrid Castilla coach Alberto Toril and several high-profile players including skipper Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos.

Di Stefano believed the intense media scrutiny the club has been placed under only served to exacerbate the pressure on the team, as he urged the press to be objective in their potrayal of their manager.

"They [the press] try to rule more than Mussolini," Di Stefano said to Marca.

"Journalists are not supposed to give their allegiance towards or against Mourinho, and neither am I."

Luka Modrid, one of Mourinho's new signings this season has also found the going tough in his first campaign at the Santiago Bernabeu, but Croatian football team manager Igor Stimac pleaded for patience on behalf of his compatriot.

"It was to be expected when you consider that he had to get into top physical shape which, without a pre-season, he did not have. Now, at the end of the month, you'll see an improvement. He has grown stronger from playing matches and training," he shared.

"You have to remember that he is adapting to a different kind of football than he played in England. In Spain, the style is quicker and maybe he needs to get into his stride. In England, he was a player who was feared by the opposition. He has been surprised by how fast the game is in Spain."

Real Madrid travel to Deportivo La Coruna for their La Liga fixture on Saturday.