Commentary - Josè Mourihno v Pep Guardiola: Let The Rivalry Recommence

Josè and Pep went head-to-head in Spain for two years. At the end it felt like there were no winners, such was the acrimony.

Now their paths cross again, this time they share a city. A rivalry has been renewed. Guardiola once said he doesn't want to compete with Mourihno. At the eve of the 2011 Champions League semi-final, he[Guardiola] came out fighting with a long, pointed monologue aimed at his adversary[Mourihno].

Guardiola insisted; 

^{"In this [press] room, he is the puto jefe, the puto amo – the fucking boss, the fucking master. And I don’t want to compete with him for a moment."}

Now he will have to, all over again. The rivalry  has moved to Manchester. When Madrid signed Mourinho in the summer of 2010, his mission was simple that is to defeat Guardiola and bring down Barcelona. The plan is same with United, that is to knock their rivals [City] off their perch.

It seems like it  had to be this way; that once City got Guardiola, United had to get his arch enemy, a counter-reaction for every reaction, as it was a decision driven by personality and status.

Opposites who attract. On an emotional level; if City have a big name, United have to have a bigger one. On a footballing level;  if City have Guardiola, United have to seek out a guarantee, the one man who can stop him. There may be others who could, of course, but that is how it is set up. And so the pattern is repeated.

LET THE RIVALRY RECOMMENCE



Josè and Pepe had worked together at Barcelona, captain and assistant coach, had faced each other as managers on either side of the clásico divide ie Real Madrid,Barcelona, and briefly met when Chelsea played Bayern Munich in the 2013 European Super Cup.


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