Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho has reacted angrily to suggestions his team are top of Serie A thanks to refereeing mistakes.
Inter were awarded a controversial penalty against Roma at the weekend which clinched a point in a 3-3 draw to the frustration of Giallorossi coach Luciano Spalletti.
Juve boss Claudio Ranieri then said he sympathized with Spalletti, prompting Mourinho to retort: "I like intellectual honesty and it seems to me that there has been much manipulation of this recently.
"Lately, there has been no talk of Roma that have great players but will end the season empty handed. Nor has there been any talk of AC Milan, who are 12 points behind us and will end the season without any titles.
"Nor has there been any talk of Juve, who have collected many points due to refereeing mistakes.
"We have only won one game thanks to a refereeing mistake and that was against Siena."
Mourinho, whose side take on Sampdoria in the Coppa Italia semi-final tomorrow, added: "If Ranieri is on Spalletti´s side, I am on the side of (Catania coach) Walter Zenga, (Atalanta coach Luigi) Del Neri and (Fiorentina coach Cesare) Prandelli.
"All these coaches lost three points against Juve.
"Every time I switch the TV on, I see Spalletti, who is friends with everyone. I don´t know if they pay him to be interviewed.
"I know that I am offered money to do interviews and I turn it down because I don´t like prime time. I don´t manipulate reality."
Mourinho fights back critics after Roma draw
Jose Mourinho was able to take positives from Inter Milan´s draw against Roma yesterday despite seeing his side's lead at the top of the Serie A standings cut to seven points.
Roma were 3-1 up after 63 minutes but the Nerazzurri fought back to claim a share of the spoils at the San Siro.
"It is a golden point," said Mourinho. "We went behind and I thought we had lost the game.
"We could have lost 5-1 but instead my team´s character and pride came out.
"When you are two goals down against a great team, it´s not easy to come back."
Mario Balotelli earned and converted a controversial penalty for Inter before substitute Hernan Crespo struck the equalizer with 11 minutes remaining.
Mourinho believes the referee made the right call in awarding Balotelli the spot-kick after he was brought down inside the area by Roma midfielder Daniele de Rossi.
"I believe it was a clear penalty," said the Portuguese coach.
"Mario was intelligent in getting between two Roma players and De Rossi´s leg did bring him down.
"But I don´t think we got the point thanks to that penalty."
Mourinho, who rested Zlatan Ibrahimovic, admitted the absence of the Swedish striker and his team´s tiredness from last week´s Champions League clash with Manchester United had affected his side.
"We missed Ibrahimovic, who is crucial for us," he said. "But we also suffered because of the Champions League effect."
With 12 games remaining, Inter next travel to the Luigi Ferraris Stadium to meet fifth-placed Genoa determined to defend their seven-point advantage over Juventus.
Juve, who edged Napoli 1-0 on Saturday, face Torino in next weekend´s Turin derby.
