体坛英语新闻：Mourinho gives nothing away on defenseive options

MADRID, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho responded ironically to questions over who will play at left back for his side on their visit to Mallorca on Sunday night.

Real Madrid are still without full backs Alvaro Arbeloa, Marcelo and Fabio Coentrao for the game and following Michael Essien's less than convincing display in the midweek defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League, questions have been raised over whether or not B-team defender Nacho Fernandez should have the chance to prove his worth, especially as Essien could be needed to cover for the injured Sami Khedria in midfield.

However, when asked about his options in defense, Mourinho was in typical evasive form.

"Gonzalo Higuain is going to play at left back," he said. "He is fast, he is strong, he can cross with his left foot and he's going to play at left back. Essien will either play in midfield or not at all," added the Madrid coach, clearly joking about the forward.

Mourinho confirmed that Sergio Ramos would play after having suffered muscle problems in the past two days.

"He is in condition to play. He is thinking of the good of the team. He is in condition to play, he wants to play and he is going to play," he said, before explaining why Nacho was unlikely to play.

"Nacho is a problem, he plays as a central defender for the B-team (Castilla) and he is left back here. It is a problem because there should not be contradictions in the forming of players. He is not going to play in central defense for the first team but for the team he usually plays for, that is his role," commented Mourinho, effectively passing the back to B-team coach Jose Alberto Toril.

Finally he discussed Sunday's rivals, commenting that under coach Joaquin Caparros, Mallorca was always a difficult place to visit and Mallorca were a complicated side to defeat.

"If you win or lose there you do so with problems and Sunday's game will not be far removed from those characteristics," he concluded.