Eto'o laughs off age remarks

Samuel Eto'o has laughed off the leaked remarks from Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho questioning his age, joking that if he can manage a hat-trick against Manchester United "at 37" he must have plenty of years left in the tank.

On Wednesday evening, the Blues secured a 1-1 draw in their Champions League last-16 first-leg with Galatasaray. The build-up to the match was dominated by comments made in private by the Portuguese concerning his strikers, in particular Eto'o.

Canal Plus broadcast video of Mourinho telling a businessman at a recent sponsor's event: "The problem with Chelsea is I lack a striker. Eto'o is 32 years old, maybe 35, who knows?"

Mourinho was apoplectic about the remarks being broadcast and said his relationship with Eto'o had not been affected - something the Cameroon forward agrees with after he made light of the comments.

"I am Samuel Eto'o, what can I say?" he told Sky Sports News after the Galatasaray match.

"If at 36 and 37 I can score three goals at Manchester United it means that I still have some juice and I can even score until I am 50.

"But I really don't care, what is really important to me is to give my maximum to the team, to help them to win some titles."

Eto'o came on as a 68th-minute substitute in Turkey for Fernando Torres, whose goal early in the clash was the ideal response to Mourinho's leaked remarks.

Demba Ba, the other striker in the squad, did not get off the bench but insists there are no issues with the Chelsea manager.

"I am feeling good," he said.

"The relationship is okay - there is nothing exciting to tell you.

"I just keep smiling, keep fighting, keep training well and things will come.

"That's probably the way he thinks; I have my way to think as well and - nothing special - I don't have an issue with anyone."