Rumours over his future irritate Mourinho

Madrid, Feb 12 (IANS) Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho hs showed his irritation at rumours over his future with the football club.

Sources both in Spain and in England are currently speculating that Mourinho will leave Real Madrid at the end of the current season, despite having two years remaining on his contract.

Asked about whether or not he planned to abandon Real Madrid, Mourinho once again criticized the press Saturday, Xinhua reports.

"I think you are the ones who should know the answer to that. It is not me who is provoking the story, so you will have to ask your sources, who remain anonymous for you and imaginary for me. I have nothing more to say," said Mourinho, who was also unwilling to discuss rumoured interest in Arsenal striker Robin Van Persie.

The Madrid coach then looked ahead to the coming month, when his side do not have to leave the capital to play any of their league fixtures, with home games against Levante and Racing Santander and a short trip to face Rayo Vallecano on the horizon.

Despite the lack of travelling, Mourinho insisted it was a difficult fixture schedule.

"Maybe it is a tougher month for us than for Barcelona - We play Levante, who are fourth, Racing who are in the relegation zone and then Rayo, who are one of the revelations of season. We have a difficult series of games in February and it will be hard to find anyone who has it tougher," he said.