The coach wondered if Manchester City’s breach of Financial Fair Play rules would result in him being awarded another title
Jose Mourinho jokingly questioned whether Manchester City’s two-season European ban for breaching UEFA’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations could end up giving him another Premier League title.
UEFA announced the sanction for City, as well as a €30 million (£25m/$33m) fine, on Friday for “overstating its sponsorship revenue in its accounts and in the break-even information submitted to UEFA between 2012 and 2016”.
The reigning Premier League champions criticised the process and announced their intention to appeal the suspension at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The reigning Premier League champions criticised the process and announced their intention to appeal the suspension at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
It has since been reported that City could be stripped of their 2014 Premier League title but Mourinho opted against making an extensive evaluation of UEFA’s decision after Tottenham’s 3-2 win over Aston Villa on Sunday.
However, he quipped he would be more interested if a chance arose for the Manchester United side he led to second in 2017-18 to be retrospectively awarded the crown claimed that season by City.
Pep Guardiola’s team finished that campaign with a record 100 points, 19 more than United amassed in second.
Mourinho said: “My view is that I didn’t lose one single minute analysing what UEFA and FIFA have to analyse.
“If I go into that analysis I have to ask if the team that finished second in 2018 is going to be champion, yes or no? That would be interesting. But jokes apart, I just wait calmly.”
Should the sanction on City remain in place it would mean the team that finishes fifth in the Premier League this season would earn Champions League qualification.
Spurs assumed that position thanks to Son’s 94th-minute winner at Villa Park, but Mourinho acknowledged there is plenty of competition.
“I don’t think about fourth or fifth, I just think about doing the best we can, getting the most points we can, the best position we can and at the end of the season we will see where we are,” he said.