Wednesday 24 October 2018 12:08, UK
Jose Mourinho has admitted Juventus' quality is on a "different level" and warned Manchester United must invest more to match Europe's elite clubs.
United were outclassed by the Serie A champions on Tuesday night, with Paulo Dybala's early goal enough to secure Juventus' third win from three in this season's Champions League, on Cristiano Ronaldo's return to Old Trafford.
Mourinho conceded Juventus' desire to re-sign Leonardo Bonucci and bring Ronaldo to Turin over the summer has further strengthened the club's hand.
"They had [Gonzalo] Higuain, [Mario] Mandzukic, [Paulo] Dybala but they want more. They want Ronaldo. They had [Andrea] Barzagli, [Giorgio] Chiellini, [Daniele] Rugani, they are not happy, they want more," Mourinho said.
"They want Bonucci and they go for the best players in the world. So, big club with a big past but with also a big desire to have a big future."
And when asked if United required more investment, Mourinho replied: "To go to the Juventus level? Barcelona level? Real Madrid level? How can you reach that level? Manchester City level? How can you reach this level?
"Yes [by buying the best players], but it is not also easy because many of the players they belong to these top teams. So we work with what we have, we try to improve with what we have. I don't think we gave them too much respect. Juventus was in a different level of quality, stability, experience and know-how.
"Juventus are Italian champions for seven years in a row, two Champions League finals in the last four or five years and not happy with what they have. They want more."
The result means United trail Juventus by five points in Group H, but still sit two points ahead of Valencia in third with three games to play, and Mourinho insisted they were always aiming for second place.
"Since the draw we knew it would be a fight with Valencia for the second position and that's what we are going to try," Mourinho added.
"We played against one of the biggest, really biggest, candidates to win the Champions League and we did the possible. We could get a different result, especially because of the way we played in the second half.
"We didn't especially because of Mr Bonucci and Mr Chiellini. They could go to Harvard University to give classes in how to be a central defender. Fantastic, absolutely fantastic.They have talent everywhere. They have quality all over the pitch."
