'Chinese football is rubbish': Jose Mourinho upsets the locals

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Mourinho was in Beijing to see his Inter Milan side lose 2-1 to Lazio in the Italian Super Cup, held between the Serie A champions and Cup winners.

After the match, the self-proclaimed 'Special One' rounded on local reporters when he was asked why Lazio, playing on the same pitch and in the same searing heat that Mourinho had previously complained about, were able to win.

"After the first two questions, I know why Chinese football is so rubbish and why China has won gold medals in so many sports but not football, because the journalists are so unprofessional", Mourinho said.

He later expanded on the shortcomings of the Chinese media after a question from state news agency Xinhua, saying he could only conclude that they did not "understand a thing".

The Portuguese also hadn't endeared himself to the country when at the start of the week he branded the Olympic Bird's Nest Stadium as 'so-so'.

The Chinese media responded by branding Mourinho arrogant and stories of other snubs and jibes circulated on the internet.

Meanwhile Inter posted a statement on their Chinese language website (http://inter.sina.com.cn/) defending their boss against accusations that he would not meet China's national team coach.

"Jose Mourinho firmly denied the reports that he refused to meet China's coach Gao Hongbo," it read.

"After Inter's training in the Olympic Sports Centre in the afternoon, Gao met and talked to Mourinho."

Local media also reported that Inter and Lazio 'acted like tourists' and ran up a $10,000 (£6,000) wine bill during their stay.