2013 UEFA Super Cup: Bayern Munich vs Chelsea - Guardiola and Mourinho renew old rivalry, with new empires

Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola are set to renew their rivalry. (Getty Images)

It is as though fate does not want Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola to be separated; as if they were estranged lovers in a delusional parallel universe.

Mourinho, the new boss of Europa League winners Chelsea, is to meet old foe Guardiola – who took over the reins at treble winners Bayern Munich – in the UEFA Super Cup at the Eden Arena in Prague on August 30.

Guardiola’s best description of his nemesis was that he was a “puto amo”, ahead of Barcelona’s 2011 UEFA Champions League semi-final with Real Madrid, which they won 3-1 on aggregate, en route to thumping Manchester United (by the same score-line) in the final.

“In this (media) room, he’s the (puto amo) f***ing chief, the f***ing boss, and I can never compete with that.” – Pep Guardiola in 2011

It is no coincidence then that on his return to England, the self-anointed ‘Special One’ (now ‘Happy One’), proclaimed to become the new managerial father figure of the Premier League – a Godfather of sorts (all his words, of course) – as he tries to fill the void the now retired Sir Alex Ferguson left behind.

“I’m just going to be the Godfather. The big change in the Premier League in relation to us managers is that our boss (Sir Alex) isn’t there anymore.

“He (Sir Alex) was the guy everyone respected, admired and looked up to as the Dad of every manager in the Premier League, but he’s gone and for me, that’s the change.” – Jose Mourinho in 2013

Guardiola was a little more down to earth at his unveiling, wowing the Bayern hierarchy – and fans alike – by speaking fluent German. The Spaniard even apologised for not being able to articulate better, as living in New York had not made it easy to learn.

The duo came face-to-face on numerous occasions between 2010 and 2012 but the last El Clasico is something Guardiola would not like to remember fondly. A dramatic 2-1 win for Mourinho’s men at the Nou Camp earned Real Madrid the 2011-12 La Liga title; ending the Catalans’ run of three-straight championships.

In all, they have taken on each other on in 15 games (including four games from the Champions League when Mourinho was Inter Milan’s manager). And it is easily forgotten that Mourinho has only won three of those 15. Guardiola clearly has his Portuguese counterpart’s number, having won seven games between them. The five remaining of those games ended as stalemates.

Come Friday, both managers will take their rivalry to uncharted territory, only this time with a whole new empire. It is, however, rather ironic that despite neither manager participating in the 2012 Champions League or Europa League final, they will lead their teams out to battle.

Bayern Munich vs. Chelsea: Laying foundations of a rivalry. (Getty Images)

Slowly but surely, Guardiola is building a little Blaugrana in Bavaria by introducing his tiki-taka ways, bringing in protégé Thiago Alcantara and mentoring wunderkid Mario Gotze, as the all-conquering Die Roten look to dominate Europe just like Barcelona did under their new manager.

For Mourinho, his second-coming as Chelsea boss has brought with it a host of expectations. With the help of Roman Abramovich’s riches, Mourinho would look to build a dynasty – like Ferguson’s Manchester United – around his swarm of new midfielders in Willian, Marco van Ginkel and Andre Schurrle and loyal armada of Petr Cech, John Terry and Frank Lampard.

Billed as a personal clash between the two greatest managers of the modern era, this game also is a shot at redemption for the Bayern players, who still look back with annoyance at the missed opportunity of winning the 2012 Champions League in their own backyard – the Allianz Arena – having lost to Chelsea on penalties.

It was also the first time Chelsea won the Champions League, finally realising Russian owner’s dream. Didier Drogba fired in a bullet header in the 88^th minute after Thomas Muller had given the Germans the lead in the 83^rd minute. The Ivorian then scored the winning penalty – his last kick in the blue of Chelsea – to hand them the trophy.

While Bayern try to settle the scores, Chelsea would like to put one right over a wrong. The Londoners were humbled in the 2012 Super Cup, when new Monaco striker Radamel Falcao scored a hat-trick to give Atletico Madrid a 4-1 win. Gary Cahill scored Chelsea’s only goal.

On the road to the Super Cup, Bayern Munich crushed Barcelona 7-0 on aggregate in the Champions League semi-final. They then beat domestic rivals Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in the final after Arjen Robben scored an 89^th minute winner. Mario Mandzukic opened the scoring for the Bundesliga champions on the hour mark, only for Ilkay Gundagon to restore parity with a penalty seven minutes later.

Chelsea too won their Europa League final in similar fashion against Benfica. Branislav Ivanovic’s injury-time header brought a triumphant end to Rafael Benitez’s ill-fated interim spell. Fernando Torres gave Chelsea the lead in the 58^th minute, but an Oscar Cardozo penalty ten minutes later levelled things up for the Portuguese team.

Both teams are presently top of their respective leagues. Bayern (3-1-0, 10 points) are one point ahead of Dortmund and Chelsea (2-1-0, 7 points) are a single point above Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool, having played an extra game due to rescheduling for this Super Cup clash.

The intriguing sub-plot of the players, who are looking for retribution, will all but take a back-seat in this one, as the limelight will be on the their coaches and the abhorrence they share so mutually. Even if the contest on the field is a snooze-fest (like Chelsea’s scoreless game against United or Bayern’s 1-1 draw against Freiburg), expect the Super Cup to be lit-up by the drama that will brew by the touchline.

Popcorn, anyone?