Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho took a jab at Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp’s summer transfer window spending. Mourinho joked Klopp would need to win the EPL now given all the money spent on Fabinho, Naby Keita and the record deal with Alisson.
Klopp has yet to win any silverware with Liverpool despite taking the Reds to a Champions League final against Real Madrid. The 51-year-old German did shoot back at Mourinho though.
Klopp basically kicked Pep Guardiola out of a press conference after Liverpool’s 2-1 win on Manchester City on July 25.
Jurgen Klopp upstages Pep Guardiola at his own press conference pic.twitter.com/RcpOXXZrEs
— Liverpool FC News (@LivEchoLFC) July 26, 2018
The former Borussia Dortmund manager had more than just a snarky comment or two in an interview with Sky Sports about Mourinho’s remarks. When reporters asked Klopp if Mourinho was playing mind games, he said yes.
“But I heard as well that Jose found me funny and one of my biggest goals in life is to make Jose smile," Klopp said. "It doesn’t happen too often and if it happens because of Liverpool, well done."
Klopp might have instigated Mourinho’s comments with the German heavily criticizing Paul Pogba’s $117 million transfer in 2016. He insinuated spending insane amounts of money on players isn’t football and that he would do things differently if he could spend that much.
However, Mourinho’s criticism also shows a flipside similar to Klopp. Sky Sports reports Mourinho’s net transfer spending in the last two years is more than $240 million more.
Watch Mourinho’s comments that started this managerial back-and-forth:
Retweeted ESPN FC (@ESPNFC):
Jose Mourinho finds it "funny" that Jurgen Klopp has changed his mind about spending big. pic.twitter.com/Ge6cl0e9zl https://t.co/tr6T7rHVU6— Elikem Kobby Amos (@konyo_amos) July 27, 2018
“I would never talk about Manchester United unless somebody asked me about it but I am polite enough to give an answer if somebody asks me,” Klopp continued. “That’s not always the smartest thing to do, and I have absolutely no problem with what Jose Mourinho is saying. It is a free world and he can say whatever he wants.”
At one point, Mourinho’s ball-busting antics, especially on anything Liverpool, is reminiscent and even honoring of Manchester United. Although mind games and a war of words are nothing new to Mourinho.
Former Chelsea manager Antonio Conte beefed with the Portuguese “Special One” in the Premier League and in Serie A when they were Juventus and Inter Milan managers, respectively.
When it comes to what football means, Klopp is confident in his definition:
“Improvement means playing better football, being more consistent and entertaining the crowd in a very specific way," Klopp said. "We are Liverpool and we stand for football.”
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