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Jose Mourinho has aimed a dig at Tottenham Hotspur for sacking him just days before an EFL Cup final against Manchester City in 2021.
Mourinho was appointed as Spurs' new coach amid much fanfare in November 2019. But a lack of silverware and an arguably defensive style of play meant he was under pressure in his second season at the club.
Spurs did well in the 2020-21 EFL Cup, beating the likes of Chelsea and Brentford on their way to the final. Their opponents there were Pep Guardiola's Manchester City — a team that has been dominating domestic football since the 2017-18 season.
Mourinho's Spurs, at least on paper, were seen as far inferior to City but the Portuguese manager's experience in big games and penchant for winning titles gave Tottenham a real chance. But just a couple of days before the showdown in April, 'the Special One' was sacked.
Recalling the incident, Mourinho said on John Obi Mikel's Obi One podcast (h/t @CFCPys on X):
"This was a club that, has an empty trophy room, then sacks me 2 days before a final, I mean, come on."
Spurs were subsequently managed by interim manager Ryan Mason in the final. Although City won by the smallest possible margin in regulation time, the Lilywhites were utterly dominated.
Guardiola's side kept 62% of the ball and managed 21 shots as compared to Tottenham's two. Aymeric Laporte's 82nd-minute goal ensured Manchester City won their eighth EFL Cup trophy.
Mourinho, meanwhile, joined AS Roma as their head coach in the summer of 2021. The 60-year-old, who has won two UEFA Champions League and three Premier League titles in his career, led Roma to the UEFA Europa Conference League trophy in May 2022.
When did Tottenham Hotspur win their last trophy?
When Jose Mourinho arrived at Tottenham Hotspur, they had gone over 11 years without a trophy. There was real hope among their fans that 'Mou' would end the drought.
Mourinho came close to doing so in the EFL Cup before he was sacked. But Spurs have since failed to make even a single cup final. The last time they won silverware was in the 2007-08 season when they lifted the EFL Cup title.
Tottenham beat Chelsea 2-1 in the final after trailing 1-0 at half-time courtesy of a 39th-minute Didier Drogba goal. A handball from Wayne Bridge led to Dimitar Berbatov scoring the equalizer in the 70th minute via a penalty before Jonathan Woodgate scored the winner four minutes into extra time.
