Jose Mourinho made a joke about how he could still win the Premier League with Manchester United if rivals Manchester City were to be punished retroactively for alleged financial violations.
During the pre-match press conference in Istanbul, Mourinho, who is currently in command of Fenerbahce, was unavoidably questioned about his eventful two-and-a-half-year tenure as manager of Old Trafford before his former team takes on him in the Europa League on Thursday night.
Despite being 19 points behind Pep Guardiola’s 100-point champions, the Portuguese finished second in the Premier League the next season after winning the League Cup and Europa League in his first season with United.
Mourinho was fired halfway through the following season and would subsequently say that leading United to second place in 2017–18 was “one of the best jobs of my career” due to “what was going on behind the scenes.”
He could not help but bring up the 2017–18 campaign, as City is currently facing a hearing into more than 100 alleged violations of the Premier League’s financial regulations over a nine-year span that encompassed Mourinho’s tenure as United’s manager.
When the city was submitted to the independent panel last February, they declared their “surprise” and denied all claims.
However, when Mourinho reflected on his time in Manchester, he stated: “We finished second in the Premier League and won the Europa League.”
We still have a chance to win that league, in my opinion, because they might punish Man City.
“Perhaps if we win that league, they’ll have to give me the medal and the bonus!”
Mourinho went on to wish United luck and offer his support to Erik ten Hag, the struggling manager who won the League Cup in his first season as manager but has since had a string of poor performances, placing ninth last season.
“I wish them the best,” he continued. “It doesn’t make me happy if things aren’t going great for them.”
However, I am pressed for time, and it is illogical for me to reflect on what has transpired and what has not.
“What is certain is that they continue to believe in the coach, they help him, and he remains season after season.” It denotes consistency and confidence. They are providing him with terms that will allow him to remain employed.