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Man Utd boss Jose Mourinho unhappy with Beijing pitch for International Champions Cup

Jose Mourinho was forced to conduct a chaotic pitchside press conference
Image: Jose Mourinho was forced to conduct a chaotic pitchside press conference

Jose Mourinho has criticised pitch conditions amid chaotic scenes in Beijing ahead of Monday's International Champions Cup clash against Manchester City, and stated his only objective was to get his Manchester United players home healthy.

The United manager held an impromptu briefing with some members of the press on the side of the stadium pitch on Sunday after the initial news gathering inside the conference room at the National Stadium was cancelled due to soaring temperatures.

My only objective is to take the players home safe and without injury. These are no conditions to play a good game of football.
Jose Mourinho on Monday's Beijing friendly

Hours earlier, City boss Pep Guardiola was handed a towel as temperatures reached unbearable levels inside the Olympic Sports Centre during his press briefing.

The incident capped a chaotic 24 hours for United after half the first-team squad were re-routed on their flight from Shanghai to Nanjing airport 160 miles away from Beijing due to adverse weather in the Chinese capital.

International Champions Cup on Sky
International Champions Cup on Sky

Who's playing when and where and how to watch

Further torrential downpours are forecast over the next 24 hours and Mourinho claims the condition of the pitch at the Bird's Nest - which organisers believe will be fine for the game - have caused him to re-evaluate his priorities ahead of Monday's meeting with City (kick-off 12.30pm BST).

Mourinho said: "I think Beijing is unlucky because the pitch is very bad. The condition of my players is more important than the results in pre-season.

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Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says city rivals United will be a better team this season under Jose Mourinho

"My only objective is to take the players home safe and without injury. These are no conditions to play a good game of football.

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"If it was a friendly, it becomes a double friendly now. No injuries, play calm, play safe, go home and keep the preparation for next week. I hope our players and City's players can go home without injury."

Pep: I will shake Jose's hand
Pep: I will shake Jose's hand

Pep Guardiola insists he will shake Jose Mourinho's hand on Monday

Manchester City have been doing all they can to make sure the game goes ahead as planned. For the past 10 days, their deputy head groundsman has been in Beijing working - at City's expense - with the ground staff at the Birds Nest Stadium.

Mourinho also voiced his displeasure at having the travel plans of half his squad disrupted.

"We were supposed to fly with two different planes, with half of us in one plane and half in the other," added Mourinho.

"The ones in the first plane were lucky because we landed safely and were in the hotel to have dinner.

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Highlights of United's 4-1 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the International Champions Cup on Friday

"The second group was unlucky. The plane was not good. They had to make an unscheduled landing for a couple of hours, and then they arrived in the hotel to have dinner at one o'clock in the morning."

After a 4-1 loss to Borussia Dortmund on Friday, and now the difficult weather conditions in Beijing, United's trip to China has not been ideal preparation for the upcoming Premier League campaign.

Mourinho admitted he cannot wait to get back to Manchester and begin training with his full complement of players.

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Jose Mourinho helped launch Manchester United's new home kit for the 2016/17 season during their tour to China

"Manchester City have all of their players. We have six, seven or eight, which played in the Euros," he said.

"What I want is to get back to Manchester and train with the full group."

Asked why the club has come to China for pre-season, Mourinho added: "It's good for the fans and for the commercial side of things.

"We have a good group, we have a good spirit and we cope with it. Monday is the last day and then it is over."

International Champions Cup Football

Follow Man Utd v Man City on Monday on skysports.com and Sky Sports' mobile and iPad apps, with highlights available to watch across Sky Sports from midnight.

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