adminMANCHESTER. — With Pep Guardiola at Manchester City and Jose Mourinho at Manchester United, Manchester threatens to become the centre of the footballing universe during the new English Premier League soccer season. The cultured Catalan and provocative Portuguese contested a bitter rivalry during their time in Spain and with 44 top-level trophies between them, they are the biggest managers in the game.Now charged with the responsibility of hauling the two Manchester clubs back to the top of the table, the outcome of their personal duel could determine who succeeds Leicester City as champions.
“It’s United or City. You can’t look past those two managers,” said former United centre-back Rio Ferdinand.
“They are coming from different places, with Jose wanting to prove the season at Chelsea is a one-off. And Pep is just a proven, serial winner of titles wherever he’s been.”
The story of the rivalry between Guardiola (45) and 53-year-old Mourinho — sacked by Chelsea last December — has become one of football’s most oft-repeated tales.
They first crossed paths at Barcelona in the mid-1990s, when Guardiola was captain and Mourinho worked as an assistant to Bobby Robson and Louis van Gaal. — AFP.
Online Reporter