'Embarrassing': Jose Mourinho told 'to cheer up' by 'reporter' in cringeworthy scenes after Champions League exit (VIDEO)
A man has been branded “embarrassing” for telling a glum Jose Mourinho to “cheer up” in awkward scenes following Tottenham’s Champions League exit in Germany.
A depleted Spurs were dumped out 4-0 on aggregate by RB Leipzig in their last-16 tie, after the Bundesliga outfit won 3-0 on the night on Tuesday thanks to a double from captain Marcel Sabitzer and a late strike from substitute Emil Forsberg.
The result means Mourinho has now gone six games without a win for the first time in his career as he is left to contemplate a maiden season at Spurs that will definitely end without silverware.
All of that made for a despondent Mourinho in his post-match press duties as he attempts to salvage something from the remainder of the season.
Amid the doom and gloom however, one supposed reporter at the Red Bull Arena bizarrely took it upon himself to try and cheer the Spurs boss up.
On concluding his press duties Mourinho was making for the exit when the man, phone in hand, approached him to say:
"Cheer up, it's going to be all right," the unknown reporter says in footage widely shared on social media
"What?" replies Mourinho.
"It's going to be OK, cheer up," the reporter continues eagerly.
After Mourinho repeats "what?” the reporter adds: "This season, it's going to be OK."
Mourinho closes the cringeworthy exchange by saying "yeah?" before leaving the room looking at his phone.
"Cheer up Jose, it's going to be ok" 🤔Another day, another bizarre Jose Mourinho press conference moment last night. More: https://t.co/uqPWPTLToxpic.twitter.com/ex5cY2OBoE
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) March 11, 2020
Football fans have put the boot in on the purported reporter, branding him “embarrassing.”
Embarrassing from the journo
— Craig hale (@Craighale4) March 11, 2020
Some claimed he may have been looking for Mourinho to bite back at the optimism, while the fact that he had his phone at the ready could suggest he was also recording the exchange.
State of that Journo
— nathan (@iamthearmandi) March 11, 2020
Others from the media questioned whether the man was in fact a reporter at all, or simply a fan who had blagged his way into the press conference.
Very dubious as to whether the individual in question was a journalist (although I could be wrong). No-one I know from the media present, or from THFC, recognised him. It was a moment at which we collectively cringed. Plain weird thing to do
— Sam Wallace (@SamWallaceTel) March 11, 2020
In any case, the awkward incident is unlikely to have lifted Mourinho’s mood as the Portuguese prepares his injury-ravaged Spurs team to face former club Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday.
Spurs remain without top-choice strike duo Harry Kane and Son Heung-min, both of whom are out with long-term injuries.
The London club lie eighth in the Premier League table, eight points adrift of the Champions League spots