MANCHESTER, England — Jose Mourinho was forced to walk to Old Trafford ahead of Manchester United’s Champions League clash with Juventus after the team bus got stuck in traffic again.
The United boss and his coaching staff got off the coach and walked around half a mile to get to the stadium. It is the second Champions League game in a row that traffic problems have delayed United’s arrival to their own stadium.
Mourinho received a warning from UEFA on Friday and United were fined €15,000 after the kickoff ahead of the 0-0 draw with Valencia had to be delayed by five minutes.
United usually stay at the Lowry Hotel before home games but after the problems getting to the game against Valencia switched to the Hilton Hotel less than a mile away.
The Juventus team arrived at Old Trafford at 6.56 p.m. while United’s players did not arrive until around 7.09 p.m. — just 50 minutes before kick-off.
“We change hotel, it’s just around the corner,” said Mourinho. “The players are in the bus for 45 minutes. I walked, with a hoodie, in the middle of the fans, nobody recognised me. I took two minutes!
“What I do in two minutes walking, the players cannot do in 45 minutes on the bus. But Juventus is having the same kind of problem. I have informed the UEFA delegate about the situation, because we don’t want to be punished again.”