Pep Guardiola has responded to Jose Mourinho’s comments regarding Manchester City’s 115 charges.
The back and forth began when the Spanish manager reacted to a comment comparing his current situation to Mourinho’s.
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How it started
Guardiola suffered his fourth consecutive league defeat of the season, losing 2-0 to Liverpool at Anfield last Sunday. The Spanish manager, who had also failed to win in seven straight games, was seen holding up six fingers, representing the number of Premier League titles he has won, in response to the Scousers’ taunts of “You’re getting sacked in the morning.”
During his post-match interview, Guardiola was asked if he feels his time at City is coming to an end, with the reporter drawing parallels to Mourinho, another revered former Premier League manager.
The now-Fenerbahce gaffer, known for his antics, famously held up three fingers during his time at Manchester United in response to fans’ taunts, symbolising the number of Premier League titles he had won.
When asked if he feared suffering the same fate as the three-time EPL winner, who was eventually dismissed by United, Guardiola responded,
“I hope not in my case … He won three, I won six … but we are the same like that.”
Mourinho’s response to Guardiola’s comment
Mourinho, in typical fashion, responded ahead of his team’s clash against Besiktas.
“I won fairly and cleanly … I don’t want to win by dealing with 150 court cases,” the Portuguese said, referencing City’s ongoing legal battles with the English FA over alleged Financial Fair Play (FFP) breaches.
Guardiola hits back
Guardiola has now clarified that his earlier comment was intended as a joke but reiterated that it is a fact he has won three more EPL titles than Mourinho.
“If I have offended him, I am so sorry. But it was a joke. The fact is he has three, and I have six; it is a fact,” he said, as quoted by ESPN.
Addressing Mourinho’s “115 charges” remark, the former Barcelona boss insisted the Cityzens remain innocent until proven guilty.
“We are innocent until proven guilty. After that, we’ll see what happens, but it is what it is,” he added.
Having ended a seven-game winless streak with a 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest in midweek, Guardiola will look to put all controversy aside and focus on securing a second consecutive win within four days when his team travels to Crystal Palace this weekend.
