Mourinho: I would like a hotter Bernabeu

Mourinho: I would like a hotter Bernabeu


Jose Mourinho has urged the Real Madrid fans to turn up the heat for tomorrow's Copa del Rey clash with Murcia - a match he has described as the most important of his tenure so far.

Los Merengues have enjoyed a superb start under the Portuguese coach, winning 11 of 15 games in all competitions and avoiding defeat. However, they know from bitter experience they cannot underestimate the threat posed by the third-tier team at the Bernabeu tomorrow.

The Madrid giants have been embarrassingly knocked out at the same last-32 stage for the last two seasons, both by other Segunda Division B sides - namely Real Union and Alcorcon - and having been held 0-0 in the first leg by Murcia, another shock is not out of the question. Mourinho will be desperate to avoid that and hopes the Bernabeu can play its part.
I would like to see the Bernabeu a little hotter. The players deserve a little more support.
Jose Mourinho

"I know it's difficult but I would like a hotter Bernabeu," the 47-year-old said. "I'm not asking for an atmosphere like the one at the San Siro in the Milan-Real Madrid game, I know that it's a question of culture, but I would like to see the Bernabeu a little hotter. The players deserve a little more support and tomorrow could be a good opportunity for that.

"The game has pressure, responsibility and danger. The match against Murcia is the most important of the season so far, because it's the only one in which we could get knocked out of a competition. If you lose a Champions League game you have five more. And if you do it in La Liga, you have 37 more.

"After the bad result of the first game this encounter is more decisive. If we lose, we are out, the same as if we have a score draw. Our only possibility is to beat them and we are obliged to get through. I'm not thinking about being eliminated. I think that two goals will be sufficient, but one would be very risky. They have a spectacular defence."

Like he did for the first leg, Mourinho has opted to rest some of his first-team regulars. Defenders Pepe and Ricardo Carvalho, as well as Germany midfielders Sami Khedira and

Mesut Ozil, have been left out of an 18-man party. Cristiano Ronaldo was also given today off training, but he has been included in the squad along with youngsters

Jesus and Alex Fernandez.