27 August,2009 07:50 AM IST | | Agencies
Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho is under fire from a Muslim leader in Italy after his criticism of Sulley Muntari for fasting during Ramadan.
u00a0Ghana midfielder Muntari was taken off after just half an hour of Inter's disappointing 1-1 home draw against Bari as they began their defense of the Serie A title on Sunday.
Mourinho pulled no punches in the post match press conference when he implied that the former Portsmouth star had played poorly because he lacked energy due to his fast.
"Muntari had some problems related to Ramadan, perhaps with this heat it's not good for him to be doing this," Mourinho told reporters.
"Ramadan has not arrived at the ideal moment for a player to play a football match."
But Mohamed Nour Dachan, president of the Union of Islamic communities and organisations in Italy, claimed the coach has gotten it wrong. "I think Mourinho could do with talking a little less," he said.
