Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola are long-time managerial rivals
Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola are long-time managerial rivals
Jose Mourinho has reignited his feud with Pep Guardiola by claiming: I won my titles fairly.
Guardiola brandished six fingers at Anfield last week in reference to the number of Premier League titles he has won amid chants of ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning’ from the home crowd.
The City manager’s gesture echoed Mourinho at Manchester United in 2018, when he held up three fingers to signify his own haul of titles following a defeat by Tottenham. Mourinho was later sacked at Old Trafford.
After a 2-0 defeat that extended City’s run to six defeats in seven, Guardiola was asked whether he could suffer a similar fate to Mourinho.
Guardiola said: “I hope not in my case… He won three, I won six. But we are the same like that.
“We are together in those situations. To make our fans know that we are much, much better than the people that sing that [Liverpool fans singing sacked in the morning]’.
“It [the gesture] was just to make our fans feel that what we have done is extraordinary. I want to prove that we are an incredible football club. Sooner or later it’s going to be the end but I will try to extend as much as possible for the best of my club.”
Pep Guardiola held up six fingers to signify his number of Premier League title wins after defeat at Anfield
Pep Guardiola held up six fingers to signify his number of Premier League title wins after defeat at Anfield
Mourinho, now in Turkey with Fenerbahce, has taken issue with the comments and said: “Guardiola said something to me. He won six trophies and I won three, but I won fairly and cleanly.
“If I lost, I want to congratulate my opponent because he was better than me. I don’t want to win by dealing with 150 lawsuits.”
Mourinho’s comment is a clear reference to City’s ongoing legal battle with the Premier League over allegedly breaching financial rules.
The end appears in sight for City’s 100-plus alleged financial breaches trial, as closing arguments in the landmark hearing have begun.
Insiders have confirmed the vast majority of evidence has now been heard in the most seismic case that the Premier League has ever brought. Telegraph Sport has been informed the case is now close to wrapping up. Concluding evidence in early to mid-December fits with a timeline initially set out privately to legal teams at the start of the hearing.
A verdict before the end of the season remains easily within reach, legal sources claim. City and the league declined to comment. However, an appeal by either parties – as has been seen in previous financial breach case – could see the process delayed, potentially beyond May.