Mourinho aims to end Madrid's last-16 jinx

Knocked out early in six straight seasons, Spanish giant looks to reach the final eight

MADRID - Jose Mourinho has enjoyed a love affair with the Champions League and the Portuguese coach hopes he can be the man to end Real Madrid's Champions League last-16 curse as Real hosts Lyon at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday for the second leg of the knockout tie.

Nine-time European champion Real has crashed out of the competition at the last-16 stage for six successive seasons and Mourinho, who has won the competition with Porto and Inter Milan, has been brought in to make sure that doesn't happen again and help deliver a 10th European crown.