Jose Mourinho has bizarrely blamed the FA Cup match ball for Tottenham’s lacklustre third-round draw against Middlesbrough.
The Spurs manager saw his Premier League side come from behind to secure a 1-1 draw at the Riverside Stadium on Sunday.
Boro – managed by Jonathan Woodgate, who headed Spurs to victory in the 2008 League Cup final – took a 50th-minute lead through Ashley Fletcher’s sixth goal in 11 games.
But Mourinho’s men hit back within 11 minutes when Brazilian Moura headed firmly past Tomas Mejias to secure a draw and a place in Monday evening’s fourth-round draw.
And, after the game, the Spurs boss claimed his players were unsettled because the ball was too light.
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“I think this ball is a beach ball. It’s too light. I don’t think it helps the players. But that’s not an excuse,” he told BT Sport.
The former Chelsea and Manchester United manager also confirmed that Harry Kane’s hamstring injury is a serious one.
The England captain suffered a tear in the 1-0 defeat at Southampton on New Year’s Day, although the club have not said what grade it is.
Mourinho again avoided the question, but did reveal his assertion that it is not a minor injury has proven to be correct.
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Kane missed the 1-1 FA Cup draw at Middlesbrough and is set to be out for a lengthy period of time.
Mourinho said: “I think it is better for the medical department to speak about it or make an official report.
“The only thing that I can add is that the feelings I had that it was not a small injury were correct.
“It is not a small injury, but I cannot speak about (recovery) times.”
