Cristiano Ronaldo is Better Than Messi, Says Mourinho

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho claims Portuguese star Christiano Ronaldo is better than Argentinean sensation Lionel Messi despite both stars missing penalties in their respective Champions League semi-final games.

Although Messi has scored a whopping 63 goals in 52 appearances for Barcelona, in all competitions, this season, the 49 year old boss still feels Ronaldo (who has also had a terrific season with 54 goals from 49 appearances in all competitions) has had a better season than Barcelona's 24 year old star.

"Cristiano Ronaldo is fantastic. I will not compare him with [Lionel] Messi, we're talking about two great players. I will say this year Cristiano Ronaldo has been better," said Mourinho in post-match press conference, according to an ESPN report. Mourinho also said he does not blame Ronaldo, who missed his penalty, along with Sergio Ramos and Kaka, for his team's loss to Bayern Munich.

"Cristiano had to fail someday. I don't want to be radical and say if he or someone else is the best, I do not want to go there. We are talking about Messi and Cristiano, two unique players," Goal.com quoted Mourinho as saying. Apart from Ronaldo, Mourinho also praised his Real Madrid players despite their loss to Bayern Munich in a dramatic penalty shootout,

"The ones that miss the shot are the ones that have the balls to shoot. Fearless, not selfish, they go and try. I'm proud of my men. They're super men but Superman is a film. Messi missed yesterday [against Chelsea], and today three men missed because this is football, and these things happen," said the former Chelsea and Inter Milan boss, according to ESPN.

"People criticise and question why these errors happen, people that if they climb two floors on ladders are exhausted. These guys worked like animals for two hours, they gave it all, then they go there and miss the shot," he added.

Mourinho blamed his team's Champions League loss to the players lack of rest or freshness because unlike Bayern Munich boss Jupp Heynckes, who managed to rest eight important players ahead of his team's clash with Real Madrid, the Portuguese boss was unable to rest his players due to his side's important El Clasico tie against Barcelona.

"Both of them [Bayern and Chelsea] used their second squads this weekend, and they played versus Barca and Real, who played the most important match of the domestic season last weekend. It's our fault. If we were not playing for La Liga we would have not lined up our best men last Saturday," he added.

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