Mourinho's 10 most special spats with managers and other football figures

source: mirrorfootball.co.uk

10) Mourinho v Fergie I (February 2004)
There was many a sparring session between these two footballing titans during Mourinho's tenure at Chelsea but his best put-down of Ferguson came when he was still at Porto. After Mourinho's men had just knocked Manchester United out of the Champions League, Ferguson complained at Vitor Baia's over-reaction that got Roy Keane sent off...

Mourinho: "I understand why he is a bit emotional. He has some top players in the world and they should be doing a lot better than that. You would be sad if your team gets as clearly dominated by opponents who have been built on 10% of the budget."

9) Mourinho v Frank Rijkaard (February 2005)
After Chelsea were knocked out of the Champions League by Barcelona, Mourinho accused the Barca coach of fraternising with the referee Anders Frisk during the interval.

Mourinho: "Rijkaard was in the referee's changing room with him for five minutes. I know because my assistants were at the door while the meeting was going on. Later I ran into the referee and I told him I was going to make a complaint about him to UEFA after what had happened in the changing room. Frisk told me to go ahead as it would be his word against mine. When I saw Rijkaard walk into the referee's changing room I just couldn't believe it and it was no surprise to me when Drogba was expelled."

Rijkaard: "There was a lot of talking before the game and now surprisingly there is a lot of talking after the game. It is not good behaviour after a match."

Mourinho: "My history as a manager cannot be compared with Frank Rijkaard’s history. He has zero trophies and I have a lot of them."

8) Mourinho v Benitez I (March 2005)
Mourinho was apoplectic after Luis Garcia's controversial goal in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final at Anfield cost his side a place in the final.

Mourinho: "It was a goal from the moon. The linesman scored the goal. No one knows if that shot went over the line and you must be 100 per cent. I felt the power of Anfield, it was magnificent. I felt it didn't interfere with my players but maybe it interfered with the other people and maybe it interfered with the result. But you should ask the linesman why he gave the goal. The best team lost. After they scored only one team played, the other one just defended for the whole game."

Benitez: "I don't know whether it was a goal or not. But if the goal isn't given it could well be a red card for Petr Cech for the foul on Milan Baros, and a penalty."

7) Mourinho v Arsene Wenger (October 2005)
After Wenger answered questions about Chelsea's draw with Everton and subsequent Carling Cup defeat to Charlton, Mourinho took aim at the Frenchman.

Mourinho: "I think he is one of these people who is a voyeur. He likes to watch other people. There are some guys who, when they are at home, have a big telescope to see what happens in other families. He speaks, speaks, speaks about Chelsea. They need to work and try to improve. I don't know if he wants my job, I don't know. He loves Chelsea."

Wenger (on whether he would sue): "Have you seen the price of lawyers in England? They say 'Hello' and it's £100,000 before they shake your hand. I just wanted to see how it was perceived. I had to choose between my holidays and the case. I find in England that the law is very expensive frankly. Compared to France it looks, to me, unbelievable. I cannot see that statement to be malicious or vicious enough. For me the intention behind the statement is important. I came to the conclusion that it was not - I hope I am right - anything planned or malicious

6) Mourinho v Benitez II (April 2006)
Mourinho bridled at his side's FA Cup semi-final defeat to Liverpool.

Mourinho: "Did the best team win? I don't think so. In the Premiership Liverpool have no chance. "In a one-off game maybe they will surprise me and they can do it. In the Premiership the distance between the teams is 45 points over two seasons."

Benitez: "I always say that Abramovich has done a really good job at Chelsea That is the key."

Mourinho: "Liverpool are not a big team. To have not won the league for almost 15 years is not good enough."

5) Mourinho v Cristiano Ronaldo and Fergie (April 2007)
Frustrated at a goalless with Newcastle that left them three points adrift of Manchester United, Mourinho complained that unlike United, his side never gets penalties - to trigger of a spat with CR7.

Mourinho: "It is not possible [for] penalties [to be awarded] against Manchester United, and it is not possible [to get] penalties in favour of Chelsea. If somebody punishes me because I tell the truth, it is the end of democracy, we go back to the old times.

Ronaldo: "He always has to say something because he can't admit his failures. The whole world knows how Mourinho is. He always has something to say to gain attention, especially when he's not happy with the work of his players. He never recognises he is wrong."

Mourinho: "A player who wants to be the best in the world needs to behave well, to keep quiet and have sufficient honesty and maturity to verify that, against the facts that I have shown, there is no argument on his part. If he says that it is false that Manchester United have conceded penalties that were not given, it's lies. And if he is a liar he will never reach the highest level that he desires in football. It's not even a game between me and him. It's a game where a kid made some statements not showing maturity and respect. Maybe [it's his] education, difficult childhood, no education, maybe [it is] the consequence of that."

Ferguson: "It is really below the belt to bring class into it. Just because you come from a poor, working-class background does not mean you are not educated."

to be continued...