Ahead of Manchester City’s Premier League clash with Crystal Palace an old rivalry has returned to centre stage. That is the rivalry between Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho. The two managers had a storied rivalry when they were managers of Barcelona and Real Madrid.
There was a feeling that their rivalry could have resumed when Guardiola was named Manchester City manager and Mourinho was the manager of Manchester United. But it didn’t as Mourinho’s powers appeared to have waned in recent years. But it has now resurfaced over the previous few days.
Following City’s 2-nil defeat to Liverpool last Sunday Pep Guardiola pointed out that he had won 6 Premier League titles as a manager to Mourinho’s 3. That quote made its way to Jose Mourinho. The Fenerbahce manager has this retort to Guardiola’s comments. In quotes that were relayed by TalkSport, he said: “Guardiola said something 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 lawsuits.”
Pep Guardiola was asked about Jose Mourinho’s comments earlier today during the embargoed section of his pre-game press conference. He had this to say in response to Mourinho’s retort: “It was a joke. It was a joke. It’s another one for the huge list in this country and around the world that they want us in League One, they want us at the bottom. But I would say to Jose the same as I say to everyone else – we are innocent until proven guilty. After that, we’ll see what happens, but it’s what it is. So it was completely a joke.”
Pep Guardiola: “I would say to Jose we are innocent until proven guilty! If I ever offend him, I am so sorry, but it was a joke. The fact is he has three, I have six! This is a fact!” pic.twitter.com/3Hg2j4kfSd
— BeanymanSports (@BeanymanSports) December 6, 2024
Summary
All told, the by-play between Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola has been a source of amusement. Jose Mourinho isn’t one to have nothing to say so it was no surprise to see him respond to Pep Guardiola’s comments. But as Guardiola explained his original comments were made as a joke. Any comment made by Guardiola was always going to find its way back to Jose Mourinho. But the interaction between the pair has been an amusing side note amongst the hectic schedule facing clubs currently.
But the interaction between the pair is a reminder of the rivalry they once had. As managers of Barcelona of Real Madrid they inspired a golden era of La Liga football. But following that rivalry between the pair it has never reached thos dizzying heights. Pep Guardiola has gone from strength to strength as Manchester City manager while Jose Mourinho has bounced from job to job in recent seasons.
But their interaction this week has been a reminder of once was the most heated managerial rivalry in the game. It likely won’t ever reach those heights again but when the pair do interact it still makes for headlines as evidenced by the comments from Guardiola and Mourinho this week.
