Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho famously didn't get on while they were managers of Arsenal and Chelsea, with the pair clashing regularly.
Whether it be in styles of play, personality, or, one occasion, physically coming to blows, the two legendary managers seemed in a state of conflict when they were both in the Premier League.
One man who played for both during this period is Petr Cech. The former Chelsea and Arsenal goalkeeper enjoyed an illustrious career at Stamford Bridge before moving to the Emirates in 2015 in search of more regular first team football, and highlights that, while they were both very different people, their goals were often the exact same.
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"They have different personalities but they’re both winners," Cech exclusively tells FourFourTwo. "You can tell they hate losing games. In the way they love the game and do everything to win, they’re the same, but in how they manage the team, and even when you see them at press conferences, they do it differently.
"It’s not by chance that both have been successful; it’s because of the way they are. Arsene really liked to play the game the right way: he wanted to win, but win by playing good football and entertaining the crowd. Jose was more practical: he said, 'Well, I’d love you to win by playing beautiful football and if we can do that, we’ll do it, but if we struggle to play beautiful football, you need to win anyway.' You have to do that to win titles.
"I really enjoyed working with both, and I enjoyed the different feel of Arsenal and Chelsea. It was a change, and sometimes you need that fresh challenge. Of course, to have won the Europa League in my last game for the club would have been a much better finale. We were so close to the Premier League title in 2016, where a couple of games towards the end put Leicester ahead and they somehow managed to stay on top."
Cech also played the first of his four seasons at Arsenal alongside Mikel Arteta, who is now flourishing in the Gunners dugout. In their single season together, 2015/16, Arteta struggled to make much of an impact, though, playing just 14 games as he dealt with injuries.
The Spaniard, consequently, started coaching as he prepared for life after his playing career - and Cech highlights that, even then, it was obvious Arteta would develop into one of the top coaches in world football.
"I played alongside a lot of players, and I see some as bosses now and think, ‘Wow, I’d never have thought that’. But Mikel is someone you could have one look at and go, ‘This is coach material’," Cech reveals.
"When we were together at Arsenal, he began having more frequent injuries, so he started coaching and doing his badges. He was exactly the kind of person you’d see as a coach. Later, he had a brilliant time at Manchester City, working with one of the best managers ever, which was great experience. But then you have to go and do it yourself, and he’s managing to do it himself at Arsenal. Credit to him.
"When I played with him, you could see that he would definitely be a coach one day – and an excellent one, too."
More Wenger, Mourinho and Arteta stories
‘We were sat in the cinema with Jose Mourinho, watching a documentary about our first two Premier League titles, then I got home and saw he’d left – I thought it had to be a joke’: Chelsea legend opens up on boss’ shock 2007 departure
‘He was livid’ - Ian Wright recalls the moment he knew it was ‘over’ between him and Arsene Wenger at Arsenal
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