Jose Mourinho Says Paul Pogba is at the Same Level as Spain's Elite

Following his side’s 1-0 loss to Barcelona last night, Manchester United Manager Jose Mourinho listed out nine of the world’s top players, all of which play for either Real Madrid or Barca. Mourinho mentioned five members of the side that his team had just lost, followed by four Real players.

The two La Liga super-powers will face off in a preseason friendly El Clasico in Miami on Saturday.

Mourinho also praised one of his own players, saying that midfielder Paul Pogba is at the same level as Spain’s elite of the elite individual footballers.

“[Lionel] Messi and Neymar, there is only one; there is not two. [Luis] Suarez, [Andres] Iniesta, [Gerard] Pique, [Cristiano] Ronaldo, [Gareth] Bale, [Luka] Modric, Toni Kroos; there is only one so they can only play for one club, not for two clubs.

“We can’t have them; they belong to the clubs. But I have to say that one of my players today, Paul Pogba; he showed the level, he showed he belongs to that level.”

Having just faced both members of the La Liga duopoly, beating Real in a penalty kick shootout and losing to Barca Wednesday night, Mourinho admitted that the best players in the world reside in the two teams that comprise the El Clasico rivalry. He also said that his team should not be compared to the elite of Spain, but instead his own domestic rivals.

“We prefer to compare us with the teams we play in the Premier League and we are much more adapted to that very hard competition,” said Mourinho. “It is a different competition with different style, different kind of player. I think, in this moment, the best players are in (Real Madrid and Barcelona) and you have to accept that as a reality.

Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV.

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