Jose Mourinho playfully suggested he might get a Premier League winners’ medal from his time as Manchester United manager if Manchester City are stripped of their title.
The outspoken Portuguese managed the Red Devils between mid-2016 and late 2018, masterminding Europa League, EFL Cup and Community Shield glory in his first season.
United reached the FA Cup final in his second campaign and finished as runners-up to neighbours City in the Premier League – something he later claimed was among the best achievements of his career.
Teknik Direktörümüz Jose Mourinho ile futbolcumuz Sebastian Szymanski, Manchester United maçı öncesi açıklamalarda bulundu. #UEL #FBvMAN
🔗 https://t.co/CVL73yyOTg pic.twitter.com/14XFdasKqs
— Fenerbahçe SK (@Fenerbahce) October 23, 2024
Five years on from making that statement, he is preparing to lead Fenerbahce against his former club in the Europa League, and mischievously suggested that the second-placed finish in 2017-18 could yet be upgraded.
City, who won the title by 19 points that season, are in the midst of a hearing examining 115 alleged breaches of Premier League financial rules, with some dating back as far as the 2009-10 season.
Asked if United have changed since he left, Mourinho said: “Honestly, I didn’t lose one minute thinking about it. I wish the best to Man United since the moment I left.
“I left with a good feeling to the club, with a good feeling to the fans and I want the best for them, so if things are not going amazingly well for them it’s not something that makes me happy.
“But at the same time, I have no time and it doesn’t make sense for me to be thinking about what happened, what didn’t happen.
“What happened, for sure, because it’s very objective, is that they keep faith in the coach (Erik ten Hag), they support the coach, the coach is staying season after season and that means stability, it means trust.
“They are giving him conditions to keep developing his job. That was different in relation to me because, as you know, we won Europa League, we finished second in the Premier League.
“I think we still have a chance to win that league because maybe they punish Man City with points and maybe we win that league and they have to pay me the bonus and give me the medal.”
