Former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho dropped the ultimate compliment on a Premier League legend by putting him ahead of Sir Alex Ferguson and Pep Guardiola in one key area.
Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola are both regarded as two of the best managers of all time.
Ferguson has won the most Premier League titles in history since the league’s inception in 1992, with the Scotsman lifting all 13 of United’s league trophies.
Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, has ushered in an incredible period of dominance in England’s top-flight league with Manchester City in the post-Ferguson era.
The 54-year-old Spaniard has led City to six Premier League titles and the club’s first Champions League trophy, including lifting a continental treble with United’s rivals.
Jose Mourinho is all too familiar with both former United boss Ferguson and City manager Guardiola during his legendary managerial career.
The 62-year-old Portuguese coach, who is the manager of Fenerbahce, challenged United’s dominance over the Premier League during his first spell with Chelsea.
Mourinho, much like he did with Ferguson, also shared a legendary rivalry with former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager Guardiola in the dugout.
Mourinho on Ferguson and Guardiola
Speaking to Chelsea hero John Obi Mikel, Jose Mourinho was asked to choose between former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and Pep Guardiola.
Mourinho insisted that it was “impossible” to compare both Ferguson and Pep Guardiola, but said that they are “historical” figures in the Premier League.
However, even the ‘Special One’ admitted that Roma boss Claudio Ranieri is the most “historical one” in the Premier League after what he did with Leicester City.
“Fergie or Pep? Impossible to compare [Ferguson and Guardiola] generations, impossible to compare the potential to do things,” he said on The Obi One Podcast.
“But both of them are historical in the Premier League. But I would still say, for me, the historical one in the Premier League is Ranieri.
“Because to win with Leicester, it’s something unique.”
Mourinho talks Ranieri amid Ferguson and Guardiola
Claudio Ranieri pulled off arguably the biggest feat in Premier League history after he successfully led Leicester City to the league title in the 2015-16 campaign.
Leicester had avoided relegation in the 2014-15 season under Nigel Pearson before he was sacked by the Foxes and replaced by Ranieri for the subsequent campaign.
The Foxes were seen as massive underdogs and Ranieri’s men defied the odds and finished top of the Premier League table ahead of Arsenal in 2016.
Speaking on Ranieri, Mourinho said: “To win four, five, six titles with Man United in that generation is great, but to win five, six or seven titles in this generation with City is great.
“But with Leicester, there is no buts. You know, it is for me the most incredible title that I live [to see].”
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