Mourinho takes legal action against journalist

Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid is off to a slow start in La Liga but beat Manchester City in its Champions League opener.

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

MADRID (AP) -- Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho is taking legal action against one of Marca's journalists over an article published this week, the Spanish newspaper said Thursday.

The Spanish champions then announced they were studying their own legal case against a former Barcelona vice president who tweeted Mourinho was a "psychopath.''

Marca published part of a letter it received from Mourinho's law firm stating that journalist Roberto Palomar "referred to our client as `the type of person who would flee after knocking someone down.'''

The letter adds "this is degrading and was used in a manner which was completely unnecessary in the critique.''

Mourinho's relationship with the Spanish media has always been touchy since his arrival in 2010, but it has worsened during a current run of poor results.

Madrid said it was studying legal means against Alfons Godall, who made the comment after seeing the Portuguese coach slide to his knees to celebrate Cristiano Ronaldo's 90th-minute winner in Wednesday's 3-2 Champions League victory over Manchester City.

"A shame the psychopath celebrates his goals as if he was a player. It would be something to make up for the frustration of having been a very bad player,'' Godall wrote. "The psychopath's team has saved three points.''

Mourinho is seeking $19,600 from the Marca journalist in damages, which his firm says the coach would donate to his son's local football team.

Copyright 2012 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.