TIANJIN: Real Madrid thrashed Tianjin Teda 6-0 in a pre-season friendly on Saturday as they wrapped up their China tour with a warning to fierce rivals Barcelona ahead of their Spanish Super Cup clash.
Boss Jose Mourinho said the emphatic scoreline – coupled with a 7-1 smashing of Guangzhou Evergrande on Wednesday – was proof he did not need to enter the transfer market again for a forward.
He had been quoted as saying recently he was after another striker, but he jokingly declared afterwards that was the fault of the Spanish press for not understanding his English.
But he was serious when he said he did not need any more new signings after a highly successful pre-season during which his side has not lost once in games that included jet-setting to the United States, England and China. “I want a squad of 20 players,” he said, adding: “I hope tomorrow I won’t read in the Spanish papers that Mourinho wants more players.” The Portuguese – who had been forced to flee a 200-strong mob of screaming fans in Guangzhou – admitted the intense interest in his side on the tour had been testing.
Real take on La Liga and Champions League winners Barcelona over two legs this month in the Super Cup, the traditional curtain-raiser to a season in which Mourinho will be expected to overhaul Barcelona at home and in Europe. (Agencies)
