FOUR years after they last parted, throwing barbs at each other, Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will lock horns again tomorrow.
Two legends of the Premier League, now holed up in Istanbul.
Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce are set to lock horns with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Besiktas[/caption]
After their Prem rivalry they are now in opposite dugouts in Turkey[/caption]
Both the Special One and the more soft-spoken Norwegian will relish the passion and drama as Fenerbahce’s flickering title hopes require a win over Solskjaer’s Besiktas.
You cannot help but suspect both former Manchester United managers would jump at one last chance in English football.
Mourinho’s record of three Prem crowns across two spells at Chelsea more than trumps Solskjaer’s reigns at Cardiff and United, of course.
The Portuguese lifted both the Carabao Cup and the Europa League during his Old Trafford spell, while Solskjaer’s highlight was a near-miss Europa final penalty shootout defeat to Villarreal in May 2021.
That was less than two months after the pair had bickered like schoolkids following United’s 3-1 win at Mourinho’s Tottenham, just a week before he was sacked by Spurs supremo Daniel Levy.
It was playground stuff, with Solskjaer accusing Son Heung-min of “conning” the referee to instigate a VAR check which ruled out a United goal.
Solskjaer said at the time: “If my son stays down like that and gets ten of his mates around him, he won’t get any food.”
Mourinho responded that Solskjaer’s comments had made him “very sad”, adding: “Sonny is very lucky that his father is a better person than Ole.
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“As a father, you have to always feed your kids. If you have to steal to feed your kids, you steal.
“I am very, very disappointed. Like we say in Portugal, bread is bread and cheese is cheese. I told Ole already what I think about his comments.”
Four years on, with Solskjaer having been appointed by the Black Eagles in January, they meet again.
Since replacing Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Solskjaer, 52, has lifted his side from seventh to fourth in the Turkish Super Lig, with a chance of a Europa League play-off spot if they can overhaul third-placed Samsunspor.
For Mourinho, though, whose side trail arch-rivals Galatasaray by five points with five to play, it is a must-win game.
However, at least before the match, the duo have downed their pistols.
Pressed on their personal rivalry, the man whose outstretched right foot broke Bayern Munich hearts to complete United’s 1999 Treble demurred.
The Besiktas boss insisted: “This is not a match between Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
“This is a match between Besiktas and Fenerbahce. The players will decide the score. I have great respect for Mourinho.
“There are not many managers as successful as him, so I’m looking forward to a derby like this.”
Yet given their histories in English football, it does feel like an odd place for them to have both ended up — and surely not their final destination.
It might not be easy to suggest a potential Prem club where Solskjaer would be an obvious fit, although his efforts at Cardiff suggest he could be an option for an ambitious Championship outfit.
But one of the men who felt both the rough and smooth side of Mourinho’s tongue, former Chelsea and England ace Joe Cole, is convinced the 62-year-old Special One has not run his last Prem race just yet.
Cole said: “Jose is still a genius as a manager. He still has potential.
“I’d love to see him back in the Premier League. He breaks box-office records. If you want to win something, Mourinho is the guy you go to.”
Mourinho left Spurs with plenty to prove — winning the Uefa Conference League with Roma in 2022 to make his point.
Like Solskjaer, he has unfinished business in England and would relish one last hoorah.
This weekend, though, it is all about the colour and intensity of Istanbul.
A draw would suit Solskjaer, who is hinting at playing without a recognised No 9, while Mourinho HAS to win.
The only guarantee is sparks will fly both on and off the pitch.
They wouldn’t have it any other way, either.
Man Utd ratings vs Athletic Bilbao as Fernandes leads by example but Ugarte struggles
MANCHESTER UNITED are on the cusp of a first European final since 2021 after stunning Athletic Club 3-0 in Bilbao.
Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes ran the show in Spain to sink one of LaLiga’s meanest defences.
Ruben Amorim opted for a bold XI as United faced up to Europe’s best home rearguard.
Bilbao had conceded just 11 goals at the Estadio de San Mames all season, with the arena a cauldron of noise in the early stages.
But after some half chances for the hosts, the game turned on its head following Casemiro’s opener against the run of play – after Harry Maguire channelled his inner Lamine Yamal.
The Brazilian headed United ahead, with Dani Vivian controversially sent off just minutes later for hauling down Rasmus Hojlund in the box.
Bruno Fernandes stepped up to roll in the spotkick before adding to the rout on the stroke of half-time, firing past Julen Agirrezabala one-on-one.
Bilbao retreated into their own half for the remainder of the game, keeping the score down to three.
And United – so dismal for much of this season – are now overwhelming favourites to reach the Europa League final.
Here’s how SunSport’s Jim Sheridan rated the Red Devils in Bilbao…