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Madrid - Outgoing Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has taken one final shot at the Spanish press by claiming they were deliberately misleading when they claimed the Portuguese had chosen to leave out a host of big names for his final game in charge against Osasuna on Saturday.
Spain captain Iker Casillas wasn't included in the squad despite an injury to first-choice goalkeeper Diego Lopez, whilst Pepe and Cristiano Ronaldo were also not involved.
However, Mourinho claimed that they were all deemed unfit to play by the club's medical staff.
"I thought that the front pages today (Saturday, June 1) were untrue and malicious," he told Spanish television programme Punto Pelota in an interview brodcast on Sunday.
"If I had to deny everything that they have said that is not true there wouldn't be time for anything else, but as this is the last time that I will speak as Real Madrid manager I think the least I have to say is that the players not included in the squad were not deemed suitable to play by the medical department or by themselves.
"They (Casillas, Pepe and Ronaldo) didn't train last week and neither have they trained very well this week and so they themselves didn't consider themselves ready to play against Osasuna. They were not called up for these problems and for this reason I say that these front pages that speak about humiliating someone by not calling them up are not true, but I understand the objective of the situation."
Mourinho was given a very mixed reception on his final appearance at the Santiago Bernabeu with the announcement of his name before kick-off being booed by the majority, however he did receive strong support from the club's ultras who sang his name throughout the 4-2 victory and even held up a banner towards the end of the game thanking the Portuguese for his time in charge.
And despite a disappointing return of one league title and one Copa del Rey from his three seasons in charge, he insisted that he wishes Madrid all the best in the future.
"As I said, this is the last time I will speak with the pride of the badge on my shirt. Everything has finished. It ends an era and starts another one, just as much for Real Madrid as for me and I wish the best for Real Madrid."
