Coach of English Premier League side, Manchester United Jose Mourinho has called the Burkina Faso coach ahead of their 2017 Africa Cup of Nations semifinal clash against Egypt on Wednesday.
“Yes Mourinho called me on Monday to wish me good lack ahead of the game,” Burkina Faso coach Paulo Jorge Rebelo Duarte told the press at the L’Amitie Stadium on Tuesday.
Duarte, who played under Mourinho in Portugal, revealed that they are very close friends and talk a lot about football.
“Mourinho is one of the greatest coaches in the world who is very good at modern analysis of the game,” added Duarte.
Speaking about the match ahead facing seven time African Champions, Duarte said they are not scared of them at all.
“We simply need to play as a team because that is what will matter. I know they are a good team with many good players, but even other teams with good players like Algeria and Senegal are out of the tournament,” he reasoned.
He made it clear that his team will actually have the advantage because there is a big Burkina Faso community living in Gabon and they will come down to support the team.
Defender Bakary Kone also said although Egypt has always been a tough side, there is no team in the semifinal that is weak.
“We are going all out to fight as a team and hopefully we shall get to the final,” he added.
MTN Football
