Sign up to The Irish Times Archive (1859 - 2008)My Account »

Fri 04 Apr 2007Portuguese men o'warJose Mourinho has exchanged bitter words with his Portuguese compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo over claims that Manchester United get special treatment from referees.Mourinho insisted last weekend there was a new rule in football that United should never concede a spot-kick and Chelsea should never win one. But when Ronaldo replied by insisting the Chelsea manager "never recognises when he is wrong", Mourinho suggested he would be lying if he denied United received special treatment.