Roma boss, Jose Mourinho has leapt to Wayne Rooney’s defence after the ex-Manchester United striker admitted to wanting “to hurt” Chelsea players.

Rooney revealed he wore longer studs than usual when United travelled to Stamford Bridge in 2006, knowing only a win would prevent the Blues from winning the Premier League.

Mourinho was managing Chelsea at the time and they beat United 3-0, to clinch back-to-back league titles.

Rooney said: “I changed my studs before the game. I put longer studs in because I wanted to hurt someone.”

However, Mourinho has empathised with Rooney’s anger which led to the decision to wear the longer studs.

Mourinho said: “Probably some people will say, ‘Wow, that’s not a very nice thing to do, to feel or to say.’

“But for football people like me we look at it from a different perspective.

“He’s just a young guy who is upset and frustrated, and who doesn’t accept to lose a title for the second time [in a row], which for me means a lot in relation to the character.”

Cc: Ifreke Inyang