Jose Mourinho has delivered a sharp retort to Pep Guardiola after the Manchester City manager highlighted his superior Premier League title count, claiming his own trophies were won “fairly and cleanly.”
The exchange began after Guardiola raised six fingers to Liverpool fans following City’s 2-0 loss at Anfield last weekend, referencing the six Premier League titles he has won compared to Mourinho’s three.
The gesture evoked memories of Mourinho’s infamous three-finger salute to Chelsea and Tottenham fans during his final days as Manchester United manager in 2018.
When asked if he could suffer the same fate of being sacked like Mourinho, who coached United, Guardiola said, “I hope not in my case… He [Mourinho] 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 chanting ‘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.”
Mourinho, currently managing Fenerbahçe, took issue with Guardiola’s comments. Speaking via Turkish outlet Sporx, as reported on Friday, , the Portuguese coach said, “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 lawsuits.”
The remarks were a pointed reference to the 115 charges currently faced by Manchester City for allegedly breaching Premier League financial rules.
The ongoing legal proceedings, which began in September, have drawn scrutiny over City’s operations.
Held at the International Dispute Resolution Centre in London, the case could result in severe consequences for the club, including relegation or significant points deductions, should the independent commission find them guilty.
Premier League barristers Andrew Hunter KC and Adam Lewis KC of Blackstone Chambers were seen delivering closing statements this week.
The verdict, expected in the coming months, will determine whether City violated the rules and, if so, the extent of the punishment.
