Headline
José Mourinho’s 17-month reign at Spurs wasn’t, you might recall, the happiest of ones, and although he’s had his fair share of less than amicable partings along the way, this one seemed especially sour. To the point where he said a couple of years later that “the only club in my career where I don’t have still a deep feeling for is Tottenham”.
He’d never be petty towards the club though, would he? Well, according to Reuters, Mourinho got wind of news that Spurs had sent a scout on an eight-hour round-trip to Istanbul to watch the highly regarded teenage defender Yusuf Akcicek in action for Fenerbahce in a league game against Antalyaspor.
Akcicek has established himself in Mourinho’s side this season, starting nine of the previous games for which he was available, and coming on as a sub in the other. Against Antalyaspor? He was left on the bench all night – and was back in the side five days later for the Europa League game against Rangers. The Vengeful One.
Word of Mouth
“I said to him after the game, ‘I thought you were shocking’. What he said back to me was an absolute disgrace. He said: ‘Well, I thought your team were shocking.’ I then said, ‘that’s your ego getting the better of you’. And he gave me two yellow cards and sent me off.” − Apart from that, Cork City manager Tim Clancy’s chat with referee Damien McGraith went well.
“The two Williams players are so fast they may as well be on motorbikes.” − Roma gaffer Claudio Ranieri on Athletic Bilbao’s rather speedy brothers, Nico and Inaki.
“I’m normally a bottle of red wine down by that time on a Saturday.” − David Moyes not best pleased with Everton’s 8pm kick-off against Wolves.
In words
“Donnarumma’s hand was a lump of butter, Alisson’s was that of a mason.” − In the battle of the goalies, French pundit Daniel Riolo nudging a touch in the direction of the Liverpool man rather than PSG’s Gianluigi after their Champions League meeting.
In numbers
64 – Yes, Fifa is considering a proposal to expand the 2030 men’s World Cup finals to 64 teams. Ireland are currently 60 in the rankings, so only five years to hold on.
Millwall’s charm offensive
The hardest watch last week was probably that moment Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta got kicked in the head by Millwall goalkeeper Liam Roberts in the sides’ FA Cup game. Mateta was knocked out cold, needed oxygen on the pitch and, when he got to hospital, required 25 stitches to a laceration on his left ear.
Roberts was sent off and was given an automatic three-match ban, but that was extended to six games because of the severity of the offence. He accepted his punishment and contacted Mateta to apologise for the incident, insisting it was an accident and that he had “never stepped on to a football pitch with the intention of hurting anyone”.
How supportive were the Millwall supporters towards their goalie? Very. They held a minute’s applause for him in their next game, and on Saturday a section of them could be heard singing “25 stitches, it should have been more” and “que sera sera, whatever will be will be, Mateta’s in A&E”. To adapt their best known tune, no one likes them, they don’t care.
More word of mouth
“Maybe you laugh, but for me it was a good result because the way we performed the defeat could have been bigger.” − José Mourinho looking on the sunny side of Fenerbahce’s 3-1 home defeat by Rangers in the Europa League.
“Rotherham fans stink of piss, came to the Racecourse and got dismissed.” − James McClean taking to Instagram to salute Rotherham’s travelling support after Wrexham beat them 1-0 on Saturday.
“He wouldn’t have a prayer of making the team. He wouldn’t get beyond putting the cones down and handing out bibs.” − ‘Arry Redknapp on Bruno Fernandes’s chances of making it in to an Alex Ferguson side. Slim-ish.
