Amid a challenging period in his managerial career, Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola distinguished himself from Jose Mourinho by highlighting his six Premier League titles compared to the Portuguese manager’s three. The comment reached Mourinho, and he did not hold back, delivering a sharp rebuttal.
Following Manchester City’s draw against Liverpool in the Premier League, Guardiola gestured with six fingers, a nod to the number of league titles he has won. Fans quickly drew parallels to Mourinho’s iconic three-finger salute to Chelsea and Tottenham supporters while managing Manchester United in 2018.
Mourinho, never one to shy away from controversy, responded pointedly. “Guardiola said something to me yesterday. He won six trophies and I won three, but I won fairly and cleanly. If I lost, I want to congratulate my opponent because he was better than me. I don’t want to win by dealing with 150 lawsuits,” replied the Portuguese coach via MailSport.
The Portuguese tactician’s remark was a clear dig at Manchester City’s ongoing legal troubles. The club faces allegations of breaching English football’s financial regulations during the period between 2009, when Abu Dhabi United Group took over, and 2018.
Guardiola’s comments came amid rumors about his potential departure from Manchester City, despite signing a contract extension earlier this year. These speculations have been fueled by City’s poor form in November 2024, during which they failed to secure a single win across all competitions.
When asked about Mourinho’s infamous three-finger gesture and whether his own six-finger display might carry a similar fate, Guardiola offered a measured response.
“I hope not in my case… He won three, I won six… but we are the same like that. We are together in those situations. To make our fans know that we are much, much better than the people that sing that (Liverpool fans singing sacked in the morning),” Guardiola said.
Guardiola further explained his gesture, emphasizing its intent to celebrate the club’s achievements: “It was just to make our fans feel that what we have done is extraordinary. I want to prove that we are an incredible football club. Sooner or later it’s going to be the end but I will try to extend as much as possible for the best of my club.”
