Conte-Mourinho feud
MANCHESTER: Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte renew hostilities when Chelsea visit Manchester United in a mouthwatering Premier League clash today spiced up by bad blood between the two managers. Former Chelsea boss Mourinho and Conte have not hidden their disdain for each other in a series of clashes in the press and on the touchline since Conte arrived at Stamford Bridge in 2016. And there is plenty more than personal pride at stake, with both clubs locked in a battle for a top-four place in the Premier League. AFP Sports looks at the best of Mourinho and Conte’s war of words.
Humiliating homecoming
Mourinho returned to Stamford Bridge for the first time in October 2016 after his second spell in charge of Chelsea ended in his sacking 10 months earlier. The Portuguese was given a mixed reception by the Chelsea fans in the stands but shown no mercy on the pitch as Conte’s men dished out a 4-0 thrashing of United. Mourinho was unhappy with Conte’s wild celebration of N’ Golo Kante’s fourth goal. “You don’t celebrate like that at 4-0, you can do it at 1-0, otherwise it’s humiliating for us,” Italian TV reported Mourinho as saying when he confronted Conte at full-time.
Avoid the ‘Mourinho season’
On Chelsea’s pre-season tour of Asia, Conte cited Chelsea’s collapse in Mourinho’s final season in charge just months after being crowned champions as a warning to his squad. “Two years ago, the team finished 10th place in the league and we want to avoid this,” said Conte. “I want to avoid, and the players want to avoid, the last season with Mourinho.” Chelsea were 16th when Mourinho was sacked in December 2015, having lost nine of their first 16 Premier League games.
No clowning around
The spat between the two managers accelerated in January when Mourinho, who made his name in England sprinting down the touchline at Old Trafford to celebrate a late goal as Porto coach in 2004, claimed he was still as passionate without acting like “a clown”. ”I prefer to behave the way I am doing it, much more mature, better for my team and myself,” he said. “I don’t think you have to behave like a crazy guy on the touchline to have that passion.” The remark was read as a jibe not only at Conte, but at Mourinho’s other rival managers at Liverpool and Manchester City, Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola. Conte responded by suggesting Mourinho had “senile dementia” and had forgotten his behaviour as a younger manager. — AFP