José Mourinho has revealed he is not giving up hope of securing a Premier League winner’s medal from his time at Manchester United, should Manchester City face sanctions for alleged breaches of Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations, Soccernet.football reports.
Mourinho, now managing Turkish giants Fenerbahce, guided Manchester United to a second-place finish in the 2017-18 Premier League season, ending behind Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
With City now facing accusations of over 100 breaches of Premier League rules, Mourinho believes there remains a chance that United could be crowned champions retroactively if City are stripped of their titles.
Reflecting on his time at Old Trafford, Mourinho told reporters: “As you know, we won the Europa League, we finished second in the Premier League.
“I think we still have a chance to win that league if they punish Manchester City. And then they have to pay me the bonus and give me the money! I wish the best to Manchester United since the day I left, I want the best for them.”
The Portuguese manager, who led United to Europa League and League Cup success during his tenure, continues to hold that his runners-up finish was a remarkable achievement.
He once described the second-place finish as “one of his best achievements in football,” alluding to the behind-the-scenes challenges he faced at the club.
Mourinho’s comments come ahead of his Fenerbahce side’s Europa League clash with Manchester United on Thursday.
Both clubs are in need of a win, with Fenerbahce sitting fourth in the Turkish league, while United have drawn their first two games in the Europa League.
Meanwhile, Manchester City’s alleged violations of Premier League rules could lead to severe penalties, including points deductions, relegation, or even the stripping of their titles.
Should such a ruling occur, Mourinho’s dream of a belated Premier League medal may become a reality.
As for his time at Fenerbahce, Mourinho’s start has been underwhelming, with some accusing him of creating “unhappiness” in the dressing room.
However, the self-proclaimed ‘Special One’ will be hoping to reignite his fortunes and get one over his former club on Thursday.