'It was a joke': Pep Guardiola apologises to Jose Mourinho after six-finger gesture in Anfield sparks spat
Pep Guardiola apologized to Jose Mourinho after a fiery exchange over title wins, reigniting their storied rivalry with digs over fairness and financial controversies.
FollowPep Guardiola has extended an apology to Jose Mourinho following a public spat ignited by the Manchester City manager's six-finger gesture at Anfield last weekend. The gesture, a defiant response to taunts from Liverpool fans, symbolized Guardiola’s six Premier League titles and drew comparisons with Mourinho, a rivalry reignited by their competitive history.
In the aftermath of the gesture, Guardiola dismissed comparisons with Mourinho, pointing out the disparity in their Premier League title tallies: six for himself and three for Mourinho. The comment did not sit well with the Portuguese tactician, now managing Turkish club Fenerbahce, who swiftly questioned the legitimacy of Guardiola’s achievements.
Mourinho alluded to the 115 Premier League charges facing Manchester City for alleged financial misconduct, casting doubt on the fairness of their titles. In a sharp rebuttal, Mourinho stated: "He won six trophies and I won three, but I won fairly and cleanly. If I lose, I want to congratulate my opponent because he was better than me. I don’t want to win by dealing with 150 lawsuits."
Guardiola, seeking to defuse the situation, clarified that his comments were not intended to offend Mourinho. "If I offended him [Mourinho], I’m so sorry," Guardiola said. "But it was a joke. The fact is, he has three [titles], I have six. So this is a fact."
The exchange has reignited the long-standing rivalry between two of football’s most decorated managers, who have frequently clashed in the past during their tenures at Barcelona and Real Madrid, and later in Manchester with Guardiola at City and Mourinho at United.
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