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Ex-Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has taken a cheeky dig at Pep Guardiola after the Manchester City manager slighted him earlier this week.
Last weekend, Guardiola drew attention online after apparently being provoked by Liverpool fans during his side’s 2-0 loss. When the Anfield faithful began chants of ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning’, the Spaniard hit back by turning to them and holding up six fingers to signify his six Premier League titles with Manchester City.
The gesture drew comparisons to the three-fingered salute Jose Mourinho made during his time at Manchester United. In August 2018, he famously used three fingers to represent his three titles and demand respect for his achievements. A few months after doing so in a press conference after losing to Tottenham, he was out of a job.
Guardiola was asked about comparisons between his gesture and Mourinho’s, with a journalist pointing out that some people saw that moment as the “beginning of the end” for the ex-United manager. The Spaniard responded: “I hope not in my case. In the end we were quite similar, like Jose.” He paused, then added with a small smile: “But he won three, I won six.”
He said: “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.”
Unfortunately for Guardiola, the Portuguese has never been one to take any kind of criticism lying down. Mourinho responded via Sporx: "Guardiola said something to me yesterday. 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 (sic) lawsuits."
Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho have been going back and forth in the media this week.Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho have been going back and forth in the media this week.
Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho have been going back and forth in the media this week. | Getty Images
Mourinho is apparently referring to the 115 charges Manchester City face for breaching the Premier League’s financial rules. The hearing into the charges began in September and is reportedly reaching its closing stages, but due to the likelihood of appeals the dispute could run into next season. City insist on their innocence.
If the reigning champions are found guilty, they could face punishments lille relegation, points deductions, fines, or even stripping of titles - something that could please Mourinho greatly. If City were to lose their 2017/18 Premier League title, it could go to United - who finished second under Mourinho that season.
He referred to that possibility in October, adding: “I think we still have a chance to win that league because maybe they punish Man City with points and they have to pay me the bonus and give me the medal.”
Mourinho and Guardiola have faced off 25 times as managers according to Transfermarkt - the most times the Portuguese has faced any other manager, while the only rival Guardiola has encountered more is Jürgen Klopp (30 times). Guardiola has emerged the winner in 12 of those meetings, while Mourinho was the victor in seven and the spoils have been shared in six games.
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