Soccer

Jose Mourinho mischievously suggests he may still win league title with Manchester United

Fenerbahce face Red Devils in Europa League with the Portuguese manager’s former club struggling

Fenerbahce's head coach Jose Mourinho. Photograph: Erdem Sahin/EPA
Fenerbahce's head coach Jose Mourinho. Photograph: Erdem Sahin/EPA
Wed Oct 23 2024 - 16:37
Europa League: Fenerbahce v Manchester United, Thursday, 8.0 – Live on Premier Sports 1 & TNT Sports 2

Jose Mourinho playfully suggested he might get a Premier League winners’ medal from his time as Manchester United manager if Manchester City are stripped of their title.

The outspoken Portuguese managed the Red Devils between mid-2016 and late 2018, masterminding Europa League, EFL Cup and Community Shield glory in his first season.

United reached the FA Cup final in his second campaign and finished as runners-up to neighbours City in the Premier League – something he later claimed was among the best achievements of his career.

Five years on from making that statement, he is preparing to lead Fenerbahce against his former club in the Europa League, and mischievously suggested that the second-placed finish in 2017-18 could yet be upgraded.

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City, who won the title by 19 points that season, are in the midst of a hearing examining 115 alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules, with some dating back as far as the 2009-10 season.

Asked if United have changed since he left, Mourinho said: “Honestly, I didn’t lose one minute thinking about it. I wish the best to Man United since the moment I left.

“I left with a good feeling to the club, with a good feeling to the fans and I want the best for them, so if things are not going amazingly well for them it’s not something that makes me happy.

“They keep faith in the coach [Erik ten Hag], they support the coach, the coach is staying season after season and that means stability, it means trust.

“They are giving him conditions to keep developing his job. That was different in relation to me because, as you know, we won Europa League, we finished second in the Premier League.

“I think we still have a chance to win that league because maybe they punish Man City with points and maybe we win that league and they have to pay me the bonus and give me the medal.”

Mourinho smirked as he ended that answer at a packed press conference in a cramped room at Fenerbahce’s training ground, where the ex-Chelsea and Tottenham boss was at his box-office best.

From having a dig at local TV rights-holders about their coverage to joking about newspaper coverage of his plush hotel lifestyle in Istanbul, the 61-year-old enjoyed the limelight and left onlookers to read between the lines with some answers.

Mourinho did not criticise under-fire United boss Ten Hag as he talked up the quality at his disposal, with the Portuguese’s fondness for his old club and Premier League life palpable as he called for Fenerbahce’s fans to make it 35,000 v 11 on Thursday.