Back with the very first club he coached, José Mourinho has so far had a positive record of two wins, two draws and one defeat with Benfica. A twelfth experience in his long coaching career, marked in particular by numerous passages that were eventful to say the least.
If the “Special one” first made himself known as a coach at Porto, then at Chelsea, his adventure at Manchester United between 2016 and 2018 left its mark. Both from the British press and from the players elsewhere.
In a book published in Italy, Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan looked back on his two seasons spent with the Red Devils, under the aegis of the Portuguese coach. And “spoiler alert”: the anecdotes are juicy.
“A huge shit”
Everything was going well though. Recruited from Borussia Dortmund for 42 million euros in the summer of 2016, Henrikh Mkhitaryan looked like the perfect transfer. The midfielder was coming off an exceptional season in Germany with 23 goals and 32 assists in 52 games, and was expected to take on a leadership role in Manchester United's midfield. Unfortunately, none of this happened, as his relationship with Mourinho deteriorated very quickly.
This is what the Armenian says when he discusses his Mancunian years alongside the Portuguese tactician. “I said to him: 'You've been criticizing me for a year and a half now, since I arrived at Manchester United.' Mourinho called me 'shit' and I lost my temper. 'You're the shit. A huge shit. » What followed was a sentence, released by José Mourinho, which will remain engraved in his memory. “Get out of here, I never want to see you again.” »
After that, the exchanges between the two men were frosty.
“During training, the coach didn't speak to me, he remained silent. But every night he would send me a message via WhatsApp: 'Miki, please leave.' » What the current Inter Milan player responded to
“I will leave if I find the right team, otherwise I will wait until the summer. » A new anecdote which contributes a little more to the legendary sulphurous character of “Mou”.
