Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho could be suspended up to 12 games for his altercation with Barcelona assistant coach Tito Vilanova during a Spanish Supercup game-ending brawl. The Spanish football federation opened disciplinary proceedings against the Spanish clubs Tuesday, six days after Barcelona won the trophy in a fight-marred finale. Mourinho walked toward Vilanova and appeared to poke him in the eye during the onfield melee between both benches. Under federation rules, the Portuguese coach could be banned between four to 12 games while Vilanova could be sanctioned for four games after retaliating with a push. Mourinho apologized to Real Madrid fans for losing his cool during Spanish Supercup. He issued a statement on Madrid's website Tuesday, but made a point to direct his words only toward Madrid fans. “(I) wish to apologize to Madridistas, and only to them, for my attitude in our last game,” Mourinho said. “Some people are better adapted to the hypocrisy in football than I am, and they hide their faces and speak in whispers deep inside tunnels. “I'm not learning to be a hypocrite, and I don't want to.” Mourinho also sought to dismiss reports in Spain that he may seek to leave the club, after his spokesman Eladio Parames reportedly told Canal Plus TV that “he doesn't feel embraced by the club directors.” Parames subsequently denied the remark and said Mourinho was “happy” at Madrid and looking to see out his deal, which runs to 2014. Mourinho said his exit was “impossible.” “Only those who don't know me can dream, make up or believe I may leave Real Madrid at this stage,” Mourinho said in the statement. “There is no way I'm leaving. No way!” Zico reaches deal to coach Iraq Former Brazil great Zico says he has reached a deal to coach the Iraqi national team. Zico tells the website of the Folha de S. Paulo newspaper that he has agreed to coach Iraq through the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. He says minor details are being negotiated before the contract is signed. The 58-year-old former playmaker coached Japan when it was eliminated in the group stage of the 2006 World Cup in Germany. He also coached clubs Kashima Antlers, Fenerbahce, CSKA Moscow and Olympiakos, among others. Zico starred for Brazil at the 1978, 1982 and 1986 World Cups. He began his career with popular Brazilian club Flamengo and also played for Italy's Udinese in the early 1980s. Sochaux asks FIFA to stop Arsenal contacting Maiga French football club Sochaux has asked the sport's world body FIFA to stop English Premier League side Newcastle courting its Malian international striker Modibo Maiga, the French side said Tuesday. “FC Sochaux-Montbeliard sent this Monday, August 22, 2011 a referral to FIFA in order to stop Newcastle United continuing their contacts with Modibo Maiga, contractually linked to FCSM till 2014,” the top-flight team said in a statement released Tuesday. “This is because they were in violation of Article 18 of the current international regulations,” by approaching the player without consulting his team, it added. “FCSM asked the English club twice formally but unsuccessfully to stop their actions.”
