Mourinho satisfied with Madrid display

José Mourinho believes his "construction" project is proceeding according to plan after his Real Madrid CF won at Tottenham Hotspur FC to reach a first UEFA Champions League semi-final in eight years, setting up a quick quartet of meetings with FC Barcelona. For Harry Redknapp, there was pride in a memorable first campaign in the competition.

Harry Redknapp, Tottenham manager
It was a good game so I have nothing to complain about. The goal was disappointing but the goalkeeper has been great for us and he's made saves that he has had no right to in the past. He's been a great goalkeeper since I've been here and he made a rare mistake but that's how it goes.

It was an even game, very balanced; the first leg cost us badly. They're a strong side and over the two legs there's every chance they would have beaten us anyway. Going down to ten men in the first leg made it an impossible task.

The Champions League has been great for us; we've seen some fantastic football here at White Hart Lane and away from home. To have come as far as we have in our first season in the Champions League and to play the way we have has been great for everybody; it's been a great experience for me and the players.

José Mourinho, Real Madrid coach
Madrid, with their history, have to be in the semi-finals and now we are. We're a young team with players who perhaps don't have much experience in this tournament yet; we are still under construction. I said we couldn't afford to joke around here so risks with [booked] players had to be taken; [Ricardo Carvalho] will be back for the semi-final second leg. There was always a threat Spurs could create real danger if they scored early on but we managed to make sure they didn't. As time passed they became less of a threat because we got hold of the ball and controlled the game more.

Tonight we played the type of game we needed to in order to control the match. Who knows what's going to happen in the games against Barcelona? Hats off to them; they're a top team. When they play well they win and when they don't play well they also win. We will take each game as a separate entity. I'm not of the opinion that whatever happens in the first game will influence the second; each game will be very different.

I've been in the game for many years and I know you are ultimately judged by your results. You can prepare your team well but if you don't win, and you don't win titles, then it's very easy to forget all the work that has gone in. Football is like that. It's not a successful season to get to the final of the Spanish Cup and to the semi-finals of the Champions League.