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Mourinho says 'Pep,' Guardiola says, 'Hey, Jose'
April 26th, 2011 9:56PM
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TAGS:  spain, uefa champions league


[REAL MADRID-BARCELONA] If the job of a coach is to deflect pre-game attention from his players, Barcelona's Pep Guardiola and Real Madrid's Jose Mourinho succeeded wildly. On the eve of the first leg of their UEFA Champions League clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, Guardiola snapped at Mourinho in a rare display of anger, gifting the Portuguese coach the "off-field Champions League prize."

In response to Mourinho's charges that Guardiola went too far in its comments about the potential refereeing and Mourinho's own comments about refereeing, Guardiola went into an assault on the Portuguese coach laced with the Spanish expletive "puto."

“He’s the [expletive] boss, the [expletive] master and I can’t compete with him at any instant,” Guardiola said at the Bernabeu. “Off the field, he’s already beaten me. I gift him this off-field Champions League prize. I hope he takes it home and enjoys it. I’d just remind him that that we worked together for four years.”

(Guardiola was a player and Mourinho was an assistant coach together at Barcelona.)

Mourinho wound Guardiola up with references to Guardiola’s reported comments about Portuguese referee Pedro Proenca being a perfect choice for the Portuguese Mourinho -- “We now enter a new phase of criticizing the origin of a referee. I’ve never seen this before," said the Real Madrid coach -- and complaints that calls always seem to go Barcelona’s way, referring to the 2009 semifinals against Mourinho's Chelsea.

Mourinho's use of Guardiola's nickname of "Pep" instead of the formal "Josep" infuriated the Barca boss.

“I respond to him because it’s the first time he says Pep," said Guardiola. "We normally talk in general terms and it’s the first time he says Pep, so I say Jose. I have to respond. Today is the first time [I respond]. If he says Pep, I will continue and I will say ‘Hey Jose.”’



0 comments
  1. . Lev
    commented on: April 27, 2011 at 8:06 a.m.
    Grow up, peacocks. FYI: any subsequent win or loss between your two teams does not validate these embarrassing statements.

  1. Theodore Eison
    commented on: April 27, 2011 at 9:08 a.m.
    One thing is for sure. Jose has already won the psychological battle and given his team an advantage. Pep losing it won't help Barca any.

  1. David V
    commented on: April 27, 2011 at 9:49 a.m.
    Theodore... you missed what Pep was doing... he was taking the higher ground ... effectively saying "Jose, you dolt, you numbskull, you idiot, you've acted the idiot and have won the idiot award" LEV... I agree the expletives are despicable and.. Soccer America... you should not have printed the expletive, even in Spanish

  1. Ernest Irelan
    commented on: April 27, 2011 at 10:24 a.m.
    I have nothing to add as to the coaches comments, however, I really LOVE watching both teams play, they are two extremely talented teams, an really look forward to see them play each other again. It is obvioius that the coaches are the subject of much press at this time, being the coaches of the top club teams in the world. Jose has a golden gift of bringing out the best of his team....I am not so familiar with the history of Pep except that Barca team is fabulous, ao, as a good coach, he will figure out what to change to win the next match between these two teams. We all saw RM, bunker in, allow so few chances for goals by Barca an put many long balls up field, looking for his strikers to win the ball an take their chances....it paid off in the end...Barca obviouisly has great passing an possession skills...RM , not so good, mho....but, a great coach figures out how to use what he has to advantage....I only wish I could see the game in person instead of tv...good luck to both teams...an, coaches, keep it cool...you are both respected highly....-

  1. Gak Foodsource
    commented on: April 27, 2011 at 10:16 p.m.
    Agreed Tom. Pep played this one brilliantly. In the first clasico of the season when Ronaldo pushed Pep in the 5-0 game, Barça, and specifically Xavi and Iniesta, came furiously to his rescue. He knew his team would come to his defense this time too. Pep took Mourinho's barbs and was greeted with a standing ovation by his players when he returned to the locker room post press conference. I don't think very much at this level, albeit a foul in a match or an overreaction at a press conference, is accidental.


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