Ramos backs Mourinho

Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos has backed his coach Jose Mourinho and has stressed that he has the 'full support of the squad'.

Madrid right-back retains confidence in his coach Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos has backed his coach Jose Mourinho and has stressed that he has the "full support of the squad". Mourinho released an official statement this week dismissing media speculation that he was going to leave Los Blancos following their controversial Spanish Supercopa second leg defeat to arch-rivals Barcelona at Camp Nou. It was claimed that the Portuguese does not feel that he has the full confidence of Madrid president Florentino Perez, who has not commented over the ongoing row with Barca, but the former Chelsea and Inter boss vehemently denied this in an open letter. Ramos, who featured for Madrid in their 2-1 comeback victory over Galatasaray in the Santiago Bernabeu Trophy on Wednesday evening, has now voiced his and his team-mates' backing for the 48-year-old. "Mourinho has the full support of the squad," the right-back said on Madrid's official website. "He leads this group of players. "We're ready to do whatever he wants. He will always have our support, just like we have his."

Past is past

This month's problems between Barcelona and Madrid in the two-legged Supercopa that Pep Guardiola's side won 5-4 on aggregate followed controversies from last season in which the clubs confronted each other twice in the Primera Division, in the semi-finals of the Champions League and the final of the Copa del Rey. Doubts have been raised that these problems could affect the harmony of the Spain national team, but Ramos refutes these suggestions. "The past will not have any bearing on the performance on the squad and the good feeling that has always reigned," the 25-year-old said in Spanish sports daily Marca. "I have not spoken (to Casillas) but it is normal that Iker, as skipper of the Spain national team, is at the helm of this sort of thing."