Sporting Gijon coach Manuel Preciado is exchanging barbs with Real Madrid rival Jose Mourinho ahead of today's game. Mourinho incurred the wrath of Preciado after seemingly questioning Sporting's commitment against Barcelona at the Nou Camp in September when the Sporting coach sent out a much-changed side which lost 1-0.
Mourinho said at the time: "If there are teams who gift them (Barcelona) the game by playing a second team because they don't think they can beat them...if this happens often, then it will be more difficult for us (to win the league)."
The former Inter Milan coach, who will be serving the first of a two-match touchline ban against Sporting this weekend following his dismissal in Wednesday's Copa del Rey win over Real Murcia, repeated those thoughts during a radio interview this week.
He said: "A team cannot gift a game. They must give their maximum in every match. Let's see if they (Sporting) do it (make changes) against us.
"If they play in the Copa del Rey with their first team and against us with their second, I would be grateful."
Preciado was far from impressed by Mourinho's comments and pulled no punches in his response to the outspoken Portuguese.
He said: "It could have been a joke, in which case it's a very bad one and one I don't like, or it could have been a provocation to Barcelona, who won't respond. Or thirdly, it is what he really thinks, and if that's what it is then he's a swine and a bad fellow professional.
"Who the hell does he think he is? What he has done with Sporting is a serious lack of respect.
"If nobody at Madrid tells him what respect is, then I'll tell him."
Madrid responded to that with an official statement last night "lamenting" the "discrediting" comments of Preciado.
