Marca and El Mundo Deportivo on Friday suggested Real were set to move for Mourinho as the reigning Spanish champions had lost faith in coach Bernd Schuster following Madrid's exit from the last 16 of the Champions League at the hands of Roma.

But the club released an official statement under the title "Absolute and Unfounded Falsity" saying: "In relation to what has been published by certain media regarding the continuity of Real Madrid coach, Mr Bernd Schuster, the club would like to issue the following statement.

"Said information is absolutely false and unfounded.

"The club had and has total faith in its coach, Mr Bernd Schuster, who, accordingly, needs no ratification whatsoever.

"It is the responsibility of Madrid fans to judge and evaluate the attitude of the press who publish lies of this nature and whose intention it is to alter the existing harmony and to transmit a sense of discord and confrontation which, in no way, resembles reality."

Earlier Marca reported that Madrid directors contacted Mourinho last March before appointing Schuster, and were set to go to him again at the end of this season regardless of whether or not Madrid retain their league title.

El Mundo Deportivo also ran an article under the headline "Madrid also in for Mou" which read: "If the Blancos are serious (about getting Mourinho) then watch out because they will give it everything, with no sentimentality towards their current coach.

"They are the ones most prone to radical change."

On Thursday Mourinho told a press conference in Valencia: "I am free, I don't have pre-contracts or a 'gentlemen's agreement'.

"I don't want to take someone else's seat, but I would like to coach a top team in Italy or Spain."