‘I won fair and clean,’ says Jose Mourinho unprompted as he hits back after Pep Guardiola title dig
JOSE MOURINHO brutally hit back at Pep Guardiola after the Manchester City boss reminded fans he has won more titles than him.
During the champions’ 2-0 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday, Guardiola lifted six fingers as the Anfield crowd chanted “you’re getting sacked in the morning” amid their seven-match winless run.
The City boss made the gesture to represent the six Premier League crowns he has won.
Fans dubbed it a Mourinho-esque move after he often lifted three fingers while at Manchester United in reference to the three titles he previously lifted with Chelsea.
On being compared to the Special One, Guardiola said: “But he won three and I won six.
“But we are together, it is the same in that situation.”
In typical Mourinho fashion, the Fenerbahce boss incredibly found a way to fire back at Guardiola unprompted.
When talking about getting used to the football culture in Turkey, he said: “When others provoke the fans against the referee, nothing happens, you know that.
“I don’t want to lose my nature. I live in your country, I have to respect, learn and adapt. I just want to adapt to the things I participate in.
“I want to win, but I want to win cleanly, fairly.
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“If I can’t win cleanly, I prefer to lose.
“Guardiola said something to me yesterday. He won six trophies, I won three.
“But I won fair and clean.
“If I lost, I want to congratulate my opponent for being better than me.
“I don’t want to win by dealing with 150 cases.”
Mourinho was referencing City’s alleged 115 breaches of the Prem’s financial rules.
They have been accused of breaking the rules dating nine years from 2009.
Guardiola joined City in 2016 and they won two titles under the Spaniard during that period.
It is not the first time Mourinho has mentioned City’s possible breaches, saying: “As you know, we [Man Utd] won the Europa League and finished second in the Premier League.
“I think we still have a chance to win that league, because maybe they punish Man City with points and maybe we win that league.
“Then they have to pay me the bonus and give me the medal.”
What will happen to Man City?
MAN CITY began the season as favourites to win the Premier League title yet again – but there is one elephant in the room that threatens to put the skids under the Etihad giants.
Sunsport’s MARTIN LIPTON discusses what the next few months could hold with Head of Sport SHAUN CUSTIS….
Custis: So the big question – will there be a resolution this season?
Lipton: Yes…. probably! It will take at least a month to go through the evidence. So I suspect around March, April time, we will get a result. But that’s where it starts to get tricky.
Custis: Why is that?
Lipton: If the result is in City’s favour, that’s the end of the matter. They will be cleared. They will have no punishment to face.
But if City are found guilty, these will be the heaviest penalties ever imposed by the Premier League.
I suspect if they are found guilty, they will be expelled from the league or given a massive points deduction and a huge fine so that they’re not in the Premier League next season.
Check out the full discussion on Man City’s future.