Arsenal fans absolutely hate Chelsea, and Jose Mourinho is undoubtedly a large reason why.
Mourinho helped Chelsea to overtake Arsenal and become London’s top team until recently, while he also had a fierce rivalry with their club legend Arsene Wenger.
Arsenal supporters will also not forgive the 62-year-old for snatching Ashley Cole away from them, one of the greatest full-backs English football has ever seen.
Mourinho, though, does not seem to be a fan of the Gunners either. That was clear to see after one Premier League game between Chelsea and their London rivals in 2015.
Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images
Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images
Jose Mourinho’s famous title dig at Arsenal
Under Mourinho, Chelsea won the 2014/15 Premier League title, and a 0-0 draw with Arsenal at the Emirates helped the Blues to get there.
As he often does in big games, Mourinho took a very conservative approach to ensure that his side got something out of the fixture.
It worked, but Arsenal supporters were not too impressed. During the match, chants of “boring boring Chelsea” could be heard. What did Mourinho do in response? Well, in customary Mourinho style, the Portuguese fired back in his post-match press conference, telling reporters that 10 years without a title is boring.
It was, of course, a dig at Arsenal, whose last Premier League crown came all the way back in 2004.
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“I think boring is 10 years without a title — that’s boring,” the Special One told BBC Sport and others after the game. “If you support a club and you wait, wait, wait for so many years without a Premier League title, then that’s boring.
“Maybe Arsenal’s fans were not singing to us. When you want to win the game and you take your striker Olivier Giroud off maybe they want more, maybe they want Giroud and Theo Walcott up front.”
Mourinho’s rivalry with Arsenal was not new, with it stretching back to his first spell with Chelsea.
During his first stint as Chelsea manager, Mourinho signed a lot of good players, not just Cole. It was Mourinho who brought Michael Ballack to the club on a free transfer, while he was also in charge when the likes of Didier Drogba and Michael Essien arrived.
Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
Jose Mourinho still right about Arsenal
It has been 10 years since Mourinho embarrassed Arsenal with those comments, and the Gunners are still yet to win a title.
It means it has been over 20 years since they last came first in the Premier League table. For all of the exciting football that Arsenal can play, some of their campaigns are absolutely boring.
Right now is a perfect example. For a while now, it has been clear that the north London club will finish in the top four, but it has also been obvious that they will not win the league. It makes for a boring season, and it is not the first.
Chelsea, though, are not sitting pretty either. It is coming up to eight years since their last title triumph, so who knows? Maybe Mourinho will have to say the same thing about his old side soon!
Chelsea’s game against their London rivals on Sunday will be a much different affair compared to that one in 2015, with the Blues not going for the title this time around.
But Chelsea still need to build on their Leicester City win last weekend as they look to secure a Champions League spot.