Friday 15 March 2019 09:04, UK
Jose Mourinho has revealed he would like English sides to face each other in the Champions League quarter-finals.
With the draw for the last eight taking place at 11am on Friday, the former Manchester United boss revealed he would prefer to see Premier League sides paired together.
When asked about his ideal quarter-final line-up, Mourinho told Russian broadcaster RT: "I would like English teams to play against each other, without any kind of preference.
"But I would do two matches between English teams, which would mean two teams would be in the semi-finals.
"I think if the draw gives something like Manchester City versus Manchester United, or Tottenham against Liverpool, for example, I think would be absolutely fantastic matches."
United produced a stunning comeback against Paris Saint-Germain to qualify, while Tottenham beat Borussia Dortmund home and away to secure their place in the draw.
Manchester City demolished Schalke 7-0 at home to progress 10-2 on aggregate, and Liverpool knocked out Bayern Munich after a superb 3-1 win in Germany.
Juventus, Barcelona, Ajax and Mourinho's former club Porto make up the remaining teams, and the 56-year-old says he would fancy a kind draw for the Portuguese side.
"My second choice would be not by tactical or emotional reasons but by what I think would be fantastic extra motivation I would do Ajax versus Porto, as that would mean one of them to reach the semi-finals," he added.
"They are doing so, so well during the competition that I think it would be amazing for one of them.
"It would be amazing for Portugal as a country, Netherlands as a country, to have a team in the semi-final."
However, Mourinho feels a potential meeting between Juventus and Barcelona will come too soon at this stage.
"I wouldn't like Juventus against Barcelona because I think it would be something really special Barcelona against Juventus in a possible final or semi-final," he said.
"Two great teams that are not being successful in the Champions League for a few years, of course Juventus so much more than Barcelona.
"Two big players in Cristiano (Ronaldo) and (Lionel) Messi is something I wouldn't waste on a quarter-final, I would wait a little bit more."
