Mourinho hits back at Conte: 'I will never be banned for match-fixing'
Jose Mourinho ratcheted up his growing feud with Antonio Conte by highlighting the Chelsea manager's alleged involvement in a match-fixing scandal in 2011.
Conte questioned the Manchester United manager's mental stability by suggesting Friday that Mourinho is suffering from "senile dementia." Conte's remarks came shortly after Mourinho appeared to take a swipe at the Italian's exuberant antics on the touchline.
After Manchester United secured a 2-0 win over Derby County in the FA Cup, Mourinho claimed that his comment was misconstrued but went on to mention Conte's alleged unwillingness to prevent a match-fixing scandal while manager of Italian side Siena.
"I don't blame him. Honestly. I don't blame him," Mourinho told reporters, according to David Hytner and Jamie Jackson of the Guardian. "I think the press should apologise to me and him. Because the question that comes to him is completely wrong and because of that he had that out-of-control reaction.
"I was asked about my passion and you know I was speaking about myself and then the question to the Chelsea manager was that I said he behaved like a clown. Probably the journalist wanted to say that but didn't have the courage so he said Mourinho said you behaved like a clown.
"I understand his reaction. I was speaking about myself saying I don't need to behave like a clown to show passion. I control my emotions in a better way. Everybody knows, I don’t need the Chelsea manager to say I made mistakes in the past. And I will make in the future hopefully. I celebrated goals running 50 metres, I celebrated goals sliding on my knees, celebrations jumping in the crowd. I’m not free of that, especially if we score a winning goal in a specific moment I am not free to have an out of control reaction.
"What I was trying to say is that I behave bad a few times and this moment I control myself better. It doesn't mean my passion is not the same. So wrong question and obviously a strong answer and I don't blame. The only way I want to end the story is: yes, I made mistakes in the past on the touchline and yes, I will make less but I'll still make a few. What has never happened to me and will never happen is to be suspended for match-fixing. That never happened to me and it will never happen."
Conte began a four-month ban while in charge of Juventus in 2012 for his part in the alleged match-fixing scandal. He was exonerated of the charge in May 2016 after judge Pierpaolo Beluzzi determined that the charges against Conte were baseless.
When asked to clarify his comments and whether he was referring to Conte, Mourinho said: "Did he? Not me."
The two managers will face off Feb. 25 when Chelsea visits Old Trafford in what has to be considered one of the most highly-anticipated encounters of the season.