Manchester City supervisor Pep Guardiola mentioned he was solely joking when he referred to successful twice as many Premier League titles as José Mourinho, after the previous Chelsea boss mentioned that he had won his titles fairly.
The Spaniard additionally mentioned City have been harmless till confirmed responsible, responding to Mourinho’s allusions to their alleged violations of Premier League monetary guidelines from 2009 to 2018, which the membership has all the time denied.
Guardiola, who held up six fingers to Liverpool followers on Sunday, a gesture just like Mourinho holding up three fingers in 2018 earlier than getting sacked by Manchester United, had made the remark when requested if he might endure a destiny just like the Portuguese.
“I hope not in my case … He received three, I received six … however we’re the identical like that,” Guardiola answered.
Mourinho responded to Guardiola’s touch upon Friday, forward of his group Fenerbahce’s conflict with Besiktas.
“I received pretty and cleanly … I do not wish to win by coping with 150 courtroom instances,” Turkish outlet Hurriyet quoted Mourinho as saying.
City didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark about Mourinho’s assertion.
Guardiola, talking to reporters in a while Friday, mentioned he had no dangerous intentions when making the remark about Mourinho.
“If I’ve offended him, I’m so sorry. But it was a joke. The reality is he has three and I’ve six, it’s a reality. But the intention was utterly positive,” he mentioned.
“I feel each with our groups — he with Chelsea, myself with Man City — we will sit within the desk with Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsène Wenger proper? For the numerous, many titles we have received. I’m fairly positive in the end they’ll congratulate us.”
Guardiola mentioned there have been many individuals around the globe who needed to see City on the backside.
“We are harmless till confirmed as responsible. After that we’ll see what occurs, however it’s what it’s,” he added.
Mourinho has taken pictures at City earlier than, saying in October that he hoped he might add a fourth Premier League medal to his cupboard if City are stripped of their titles and United, who completed second in 2017-18, are awarded the Premier League trophy.
Chelsea, the place Mourinho received his three English top-flight titles in 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2014-15, are being investigated by the Premier League for potential monetary rule breaches between 2012 and 2019.
