Pep Guardiola is still getting under Jose Mourinho’s skin.
The two coaching giants became sworn enemies when Guardiola was in charge of Barcelona and Mourinho was boss of Real Madrid. And they picked up their rivalry again in Manchester when United responded to the Catalan’s arrival at City by appointing Mourinho.
The bitterness appeared to disappear - but it resurfaced again in the week when Mourinho’s Roma team faced Feyenoord in the Europa League and the Dutch club’s boss Arne Slot said he always preferred Guardiola’s style to the Portuguese’s.
Mourinho got his revenge when Roma prevailed to go through to the semi-finals after extra-time following a last-minute equaliser by Paulo Dybala. And afterwards he aimed a furious tirade at Slot after first refusing to shake his hand and then confronting him in the tunnel.
TV cameras picked up Mourinho’s rant. He shouted: “You should be watching my Roma team - and not just Manchester City! You only study his (Guardiola) team and Napoli. But you should watch our team.”
Slot laughed off the incident despite his bitter disappointment. He has modelled his style at Feyenoord on City - and the Rotterdam club are eight points clear at the top of the Eredivisie and on course to win their first title in six years.
Slot did not hide his admiration for Guardiola in the build-up to the two quarter-final games against Roma. When he was asked before the game in Rome if he had studied Mourinho’s side, he replied: “No, I prefer to watch Manchester City ’s games.”
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The showdown between Roma and Feyenoord was a repeat of last season's Europa Conference League final, which the Serie A outfit also won.
Mourinho has rebuilt his reputation in Italy after an uninspiring end to his Tottenham tenure and is on track to win a second European title in succession following last year's triumph. Bayer Leverkusen, now bossed by former Liverpool playmaker Xabi Alonso, are all that between Mourinho and a place in yet another European final.
Former Roma sporting director Walter Sabatini had high praise for Mourinho after the match. He was impressed by the coach's ability to mastermind such a win and branded the result against the Eredivisie leaders "a miracle". He said: “It was a wonderful moment that brought together team and fans closer than perhaps ever before. A moment of communion.
“Mourinho always knows what he’s doing, so much so that in extra time we saw his team shift into another gear. He performed a miracle, Roma were one minute away from being eliminated and then had a wonderful reaction, overturning a tragic scenario.”
