NOTHING BUT CONTEMPT
Mourinho jets in from Dubai training camp and steps up his ugly feud with Blues boss
JOSE MOURINHO has revealed his “contempt” for Chelsea manager Antonio Conte.
Conte launched a verbal assault on arch-rival Mourinho, branding the Manchester United boss a “fake” and accusing him of being “a little man”, as their bitter feud escalated.
Mourinho responded to Conte’s latest barb by revealing his “contempt” for his Italian rival, and claiming he had touched a nerve with his own earlier verbal attack on the Chelsea boss.
“I think when a person insults another, you can expect a response,” said Mourinho. “Or you can expect contempt.
“The first time he insulted me, I had a response, a response that I know touched the point where he really feels hurt.
“Then he insulted me for a second time, but now I change and (now there is) contempt. And, for me, contempt means end of the story.”
The ongoing row between the warring bosses began when Mourinho defended his lack of passion on the touchline, claiming he did not jump around “like a clown”, like some other coaches. The former Italy boss took that to refer to him and suggested Mourinho was suffering from “demenza senile” – senile dementia – effectively calling him a hypocrite for the United manager’s own past controversial touchline conduct.
The Portuguese hit back, saying he would never be accused of match-fixing, a pointed reference to the Blues boss, who was once embroiled in such a controversy back home in Italy.
Conte served a fourmonth ban in August 2012 for failing to report match-fixing, but was eventually exonerated and cleared of any wrongdoing in May 2016. But Conte, wounded by Mourinho’s reference to his embroilment in the controversy, hit back again with his “fake” and “little man” jibes, which continued the vicious slanging match. Conte also issued a veiled threat to Mourinho, claiming he will be ready for when United and Chelsea meet at Old Trafford on February 25, and questioned if Mourinho would be ready. The Reds boss and his players host Stoke on Monday, having just returned from a warm-weather training camp in Dubai.
“It was very good,” added Mourinho. “The facilities were unbelievable, better than any football club in the world. We had nice weather, three days of training – it was really, really good.
“We did things we can’t do when there’s no time to train together, so hopefully we can improve our level.”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (left) remains sidelined through injury, but Mourinho said he expects the forward to return to full training by the end of the month.