Capello expects title race to go to the wire
February 19, 2011 16:29:04 UK
Former Real Madrid boss Fabio Capello believes this season’s Primera Division title race will go right down to the wire and feels his old club are improving game by game under Jose Mourinho.
Barcelona currently sit five points clear of second-placed Madrid at the top of the table with 15 games left, while third-placed Valencia are a further 10 points adrift, which means the title is sure to end up at the Nou Camp or the Bernabeu once again.
After setting a Primera Division record with 16 successive league victories prior to last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Sporting Gijon, Barcelona are on offer at 1.002 to retain the title but Capello believes the battle will go to the very final week.
When asked if Real Madrid can win the league this season, Capello told Marca: "I think they will fight until the last game. Barca have a lot of quality in their play, but Real Madrid`s squad is very strong and the two teams are going to arrive in the final straight of the season very even."
The England manager who managed at the Bernabeu in two separate stints, first in 1997 and again in 2007, led Madrid to title wins in both of his two seasons in charge and was full of praise for Mourinho.
After leading Inter Milan to an unprecedented treble last season, the Portuguese moved to Spain in the summer and has put the club into contention for the league, the Champions League and Copa del Rey.
"He (Mourinho) is doing a very good job," said Capello.
"He is a winning coach, with a lot of experience and I like him a lot. The most important thing in football are the victories. The titles. And in this aspect Mourinho is a champion, which he`s shown on many occasions. I’m tired of those that say: `We played very well, we had a lot of fun, but we finished second`. The important thing is to win.
"I think Mou`s team are going to be competitive in the three competitions they are challenging for: Copa del Rey, Champions League and, of course, the league."
It is 41.00 that Real Madrid will win the league this season, while it is 2.62 that they will win the Copa del Rey at the expense of Barcelona and 1213.00 that they will win the Champions League.
Capello also thinks there is still more to come from the big-spending Spaniards as well, saying: "I have the feeling that they are still a group under construction. You notice the work of Mourinho day by day. From what I`ve seen up until now, the Whites are improving game after game."
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