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Aitor Karanka defends Jose Mourinho over Iker Casillas comments

Karanka defends Mourinho over Casillas comments
© PA Photos
Real Madrid assistant coach Aitor Karanka insists that Jose Mourinho's recent comments about Iker Casillas were taken out of context.

Real Madrid assistant coach Aitor Karanka has defended manager Jose Mourinho over comments he made about goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

The former Chelsea boss found himself under fire from defender Pepe after declaring that he wished he had signed Diego Lopez to replace Casillas sooner.

Mourinho was jeered by Real supporters ahead of his team's 4-3 win over Real Valladolid, but Karanka insists that the remarks were taken out of context.

"I haven't heard what Pepe said but, if he said that there has been a lack of respect towards Iker, at no moment have we disrespected anyone," he said in a statement.

"It would be a lack of respect to 25 teammates if you selected someone who was not in a condition to play. The lack of respect would have been to select a player who wasn't right, instead of another.

"It is not that Mourinho regrets it {not signing Lopez after his first year), but his signing was requested and the club did not accept it. It is said that the coach has so much power, but it can't be so if a player is requested and the club don't bring him in."

However, Karanka refused to criticise the fans over the hostile reception they gave Mourinho.

"You have to respect the jeers for the coach, as I said after what happened in Dortmund. For the last three years, we have done our work, which people can like more or less. I respect them," he added.

"The reason we didn't come out into the technical zone is because we believed there wasn't anything worth saying. What there was to say, we discussed in the dressing room."

Real's win over Valladolid means that league leader Barcelona will have to wait a further week to clinch the La Liga title.

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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Barcelona14111242142834
2Real Madrid1393128111730
3Atletico MadridAtletico148512181329
4Villarreal137422521425
5Athletic Bilbao146532013723
6Osasuna146441922-322
7GironaGirona146352018221
8Mallorca146351312121
9Real BetisBetis145541616020
10Real Sociedad145361111018
11Celta Vigo145362224-218
12Sevilla145361318-518
13Rayo Vallecano134451314-116
14Leganes143561319-614
15Getafe142751011-113
16AlavesAlaves144191524-913
17Las PalmasLas Palmas143381825-712
18Valencia122461219-710
19Espanyol133191226-1410
20Real ValladolidValladolid142391027-179


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