The battles between Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola are not simply won on the pitch; the
pair often extend their feuds to the microphones too.
It all began in the Champions League
semi-finals in April 2010, when Mourinho revelled in his Inter side denying
Barcelona the chance to lift the trophy at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.
"For
Barcelona, the Champions League is not a dream, it is an obsession," he
said at the time.
Having
already tasted success at Real Madrid's home with Inter, the self-styled
'Special One' took up permanent residence in the Spanish capital and snatched
victory from his long-standing adversary in the Copa del Rey final.
It would
be one of four highly-charged Clasico encounters of that 2010/11 season, with
Guardiola criticising Pedro's disallowed goal for offside in the showpiece.
Ahead of the subsequent Champions
League semi-final first-leg between the sides, Mourinho mocked the Barcelona
coach's sense of injustice.
"Up
until now there was a very small group of coaches who didn't talk about
referees and a larger group who did," he said.
"Now,
with Pep's comments, we have started a new era with a third group, featuring
only one person, a man who criticises [the referee] when he makes good
decisions.
"This
is completely new to me."
It drew an
angry response from Guardiola in Real's press room with an explosive outburst
which went down in folklore in the pair's heated rivalry.
"He
called me Pep, so I answered.
"Normally,
he talks in general terms about a team, a club or a manager, but this time he
named me," said Guardiola.
"In
this room [Real Madrid's press room], he is the chief, the f*****g man. In here
he is the f*****g man and I can't compete with him."
Barcelona
stunned the Bernabeu in taking a 2-0 lead as Mourinho was sent to the stands
for ridiculing a fourth official but the Real coach refused to be silenced as
he took aim.
"Guardiola
is a fantastic coach but has won a Champions League which I would be ashamed to
win," he said.
"I
would be ashamed to have won it with the scandal of Stamford Bridge (in 2009)
and, if he wins it this year, it will be with the scandal of the Bernabeu.
"I hope
that one day he can win a proper Champions League."
Then came an
irate outburst accusing Barcelona of having undue influence in the competition
which they would go on to lift just a month later.
''Why do the
opponents of Barcelona always have a man sent off?" he asked.
"Where
does this power come from? Maybe it is to give more publicity to UNICEF, maybe
because of the power of (RFEF president Jose Angel) Villar in UEFA.''
So far, the
pair's old wounds have yet to be reopened in Manchester - but will that change
in the aftermath of the Old Trafford clash?
0 comments:
Post a Comment