Iconic football manager Jose Mourinho has responded to Pep Guardiola after the Manchester City boss reminded fans of his six Premier League titles compared to Mourinho’s three.
Guardiola’s comments came following City’s 2-0 defeat to Liverpool last weekend. During the match, the 53-year-old raised six fingers toward Liverpool fans who mocked him about the possibility of being sacked. The gesture referenced his impressive top-flight trophy haul and drew comparisons to Mourinho’s infamous three-finger salute to Chelsea and Tottenham fans during his Manchester United tenure in 2018.
Months after that incident, Mourinho was dismissed from his position. When Guardiola was asked if he might face a similar fate, he replied:
“I hope not in my case… He won three; I won six. But in those situations, we are the same. It was just to remind our fans that what we’ve achieved is extraordinary. I want to prove that we are an incredible football club. Sooner or later, the end will come, but I’ll try to extend it for the good of my club.”
In response, Mourinho, now managing Fenerbahçe, addressed Guardiola’s remarks during an interview with Sporx:
“Guardiola said he won six trophies, and I won three. But I won fairly and cleanly. If I lose, I congratulate my opponent because they were better than me. I don’t want to win by dealing with 150 lawsuits.”
Mourinho’s comment appeared to reference the 115 charges Manchester City currently face for allegedly breaching financial rules. These charges are being reviewed by an independent commission, with potential penalties, including relegation from the Premier League, looming over the club.
