Few things in life are certain: death, taxes, and Jose Mourinho absolutely despises Pep Guardiola.
The question is: Why? From the outside looking in it appears to be one simply of Mourinho being jealous of Guardiola’s success. After all, these two had a history going back decades to when they were both at Barcelona in the 90s. At one point, even. the two were admirers of each other.
Mourinho
“With the ball, Guardiola is incredible, one of the best in the world. There is something fundamental: Pep always wants, and always knows what he wants.”
Guardiola
“It is not necessary to have played football to become a great coach…Mourinho is probably the best coach in the world.”
Interview with Jose Mourinho in Mundo Deportivo in 1996.
So once again, what happened?
It does not appear to be a coincidence that the first signs that something was not okay was when Barcelona choose Guardiola over Mourinho as their new manager in 2008. This was a kick in the teeth to Mourinho, who had long coveted the job in a way that he would later covet the Manchester United job.
Mourinho
”Today, tomorrow, and forever, with Barcelona in my heart.”
The first public signs of the rift started during the 2009 Champions League semi-finals coached between the two. Mourinho’s Inter Milan would win the first leg amidst protestations that Barcelona should have been awarded a penalty kick.
Mourinho
“A year ago Chelsea were crying and Barca were laughing with the referee. They laughed because he denied my Chelsea boys their rightful place.”
Mourinho would continually make comments regarding how UEFA, and La Liga favored the Guardiola coached Barcelona. Rumblings would be made in kind by everyone associated with Barcelona that Mourinho did not play football the “right way.” Johan Cruyff himself would slate Mourinho’s style, criticizing his defensive approach to the game. Mourinho reveled in the controversy and was always ready with a biting quote.
Mourinho
”We didn’t park the bus, we parked the plane…”
Mourinho’s infamous celebration after beating Barcelona with Inter Milan almost sparked a fight with Victor Valdes.
This match would only be the beginning of Mourinho accusing football of having a conspiracy for Guardiola teams, and for Guardiola backed teams accusing Mourinho of not playing football ‘correctly.’ By the time that Mourinho arrived as manager at Real Madrid the rivalry quickly turned personal.
The first Clasico ended with Guardiola’s Barcelona hammering Mourinho’s Real Madrid 5-0.
Guardiola
”I’m proud the whole world has seen how we play football.”
While Guardiola generally tried to remain aloof from criticizing fellow coaches, a crushing run of four El Clasico derbies in 18 days in April 2011 finally pushed the situation over the top. In the Copa Del Rey final an official called Pedro offside, disallowing a goal. While on replay it was right, Guardiola came out and seemingly called the official out.
Mourinho immediately responded.
Guardiola
“A two-centimetre decision from a linesman who must have had a very good view ruled out Pedro’s goal.”
This comment by Guardiola, combined with the pressure of the teams playing each other so many times in quick succession lit an explosion between the managers.
Mourinho
“Up until now there was a very small group of coaches who didn’t talk about referees and a very large group, in which I am included, who criticise referees. Now, with Pep’s comments, we have started a new era with a third group, featuring only one person, a man who criticises the referee when he makes good decisions. This is completely new to me.”
Guardiola
“Señor Mourinho has permitted himself the luxury of calling me Pep, so I will call him Jose. Tomorrow at 8.45pm we face each other on the pitch. He has won the battle off the pitch. If he wants his own personal Champions League trophy away from the pitch, let him take it home and enjoy it. In this room [the Bernabéu press room] Mourinho is the fucking chief, the fucking boss. He knows all about this and I don’t want to compete with him in here.“
Pep Guardiola went on an expletive filled tirade after feeling that Jose Mourinho pushed him too far.
Mourinho
”In his first season [Guardiola] lived the scandal of Stamford Bridge [in the semi-final], last year he played against a 10-man Inter. Now he is not happy with refs getting it right.“
Guardiola
”If he prefers to value the views of the journalist friends who take their information in a drip feed from Florentino Pérez more than the relationship we had for four years then that’s his choice. I try to learn from Jose on the pitch, but I prefer to learn as little as possible from him off the pitch.”
Mourinho
“I am not asking the referee to help my team. If the referee is good everyone will be happy – except Guardiola. He wants them to get it wrong.”
Guardiola
”I am not going to justify my words. It leaves a bad taste in your mouth when someone you had a relationship with does [what he has done].”
With these comments as back drop, the next game did nothing to calm things down. Facing off in the Champions League for the fifth game in a row between the managers Mourinho had a player sent off against a Guardiola side. This time, Mourinho was dismissed as well.
Mourinho was furious, launching attacks at not just Guardiola but at UEFA as well.
Mourinho
“One day, I would like Josep Guardiola to win this competition properly…I don’t know if it is the UNICEF sponsorship or if it is because they are nice guys. I don’t understand. They have power and we have no chance. All I can do is leave that question here in the air and hope that one day I will get the response. They have to get to the final, and they’ll get there, full stop. I would be ashamed to have won it with the scandal of Stamford Bridge. If he wins it this year, it will be with the scandal of the Bernabeu. Deep down, if they are good people, it cannot taste right for them. I hope one day Guardiola has the chance of winning a brilliant, clean championship with no scandal.”
Guardiola would only respond at the end of the tie, with Barcelona going through to the final.
Guardiola
“This has been one of the most beautiful nights I have ever lived.”
The off season would do little to calm tensions between the two managers. The Spanish Super Cup was marked is Mourinho poking Tito Vilanova, Guardiola’s assistant in the eye during a melee. Mourinho would be unrepentant afterwards, while Guardiola would refuse comment. This precedent continued to define their relationship as any lash out in the media by Mourinho would be met without comment by the Barcelona manager.
At the end of the season, Guardiola announced a sabbatical from football after finally losing La Liga to Mourinho. At this point, it was easy to see that any previous relationship was irreparably shattered.
Mourinho
“It’s his life, but for me it’s unthinkable to take a sabbatical. He is younger than me, but I’m not tired.”
If people thought that whatever ill will had built up between the managers would go away, it was resumed almost instantly when Guardiola made a return with Bayern Munich. The second round of the pairs pissing contest ignited immediately after the 2013 European Super Cup clash with Mourinho now at Chelsea. Guardiola once again bested Mourinho.
Mourinho
“Every time I play Pep I end up with 10 men. It must be some sort of Uefa rule.”
Guardiola
”The best team won today.”
Mourinho
”The best team lost. The team that deserved to win more lost.”
Mourinho once again felt that Guardiola’s team received preferential treatment against him during the 2013 UEFA Super Cup.
Even separated by leagues, the pair continued to feud. At a UEFA coaches summit in 2014 the pair sparked off again over the issue of grass length. Guardiola wanted the length of grass to be cut shorter to speed up the game.
Mourinho
“Everyone has his style of play, which should be respected. Football can be spectacular in several ways.”
Guardiola
“The beauty of football depends on the coach. It seems to me that Mourinho prefers the result to the spectacle. I know to him that’s all that matters.”
Mourinho
”When you enjoy what you do, you don’t lose your hair, and Guardiola is bald. He doesn’t enjoy football.”
With the pair coaching the respective sides of the famous Manchester Derby, their once friendship seems to have little chance of reconciliation.
Excerpts, reporting, and context from Pep Confidential: The Inside Story of Pep Guardiola’s First Season at Bayern Munich, The Special One, Bleacher Report, and talksport.