Pep Guardiola insists he was 'joking' in apology to Jose Mourinho after 'fairly and cleanly' jibe over 115 charges in latest war of words - but Man City boss can't help one last dig at legendary ex-Chelsea manager

The exchange between the two iconic managers has reignited their long-standing rivalry, originally forged during their time at Barcelona and Real Madrid and later rekindled in the Premier League.

The controversy began during Manchester City’s 2-0 loss to Liverpool at Anfield, where Guardiola made a gesture symbolising his six Premier League titles in response to 'sacked in the morning' taunts from the stands. This was reminiscent of Mourinho when he highlighted his three Premier League titles after Manchester United lost 3-0 to Tottenham Hotspur in 2018.

When asked if this gesture could foreshadow a similar career trajectory, with Mourinho having little success since his second spell at Chelsea, Guardiola replied with a quip, saying: “I hope not in my case," while highlighting his six league titles compared to Mourinho’s three. This light-hearted remark, however, didn’t sit well with the now-Fenerbahce boss.

Mourinho responded by alluding to Manchester City’s ongoing legal battles regarding alleged breaches of Financial Fair Play regulations.

“I want to win but I want to win cleanly and fairly,” Mourinho said. “If I cannot win fairly, I prefer to lose. Guardiola won six trophies and I won three, but I won fairly and cleanly. If I lost, I want to congratulate my opponent for being better than me. I don’t want to win by dealing with 150 lawsuits.”

The comment referenced City’s ongoing disputes with the Premier League over alleged financial rule violations. The club have consistently claimed innocence and are engaged in a protracted legal process to defend its position.

Addressing Mourinho's remarks in a pre-match press conference before City’s game against Crystal Palace, Guardiola clarified his intent.

“It was a joke,” Guardiola said. “It’s another one to add to the huge list of people who want the team in League One or the Conference. But we are innocent until proven guilty, so after that, we will see what happens. But it is what it is, it was completely a joke.”

He maintained that his comments were made in good humour and expressed regret if Mourinho had taken offence. “If I have offended him (Mourinho), I am so sorry. But it was a joke," he said.

However, he did take a cheeky dig again and added: "The fact is he has three [Premier League titles] and I have six, it is a fact. But the intention was completely fine."

Mourinho’s three league titles came during his time at Chelsea under Roman Abramovich’s ownership in 2005, 2006, and 2015. Guardiola acknowledged Mourinho’s success and placed their achievements in the context of English football history, comparing them to legendary managers like Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger.

“I think both of us — him (Mourinho) with Chelsea, myself with City — we can sit at the table with Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger, right?” Guardiola said. “For the many titles we won. And I’m pretty sure sooner or later they will congratulate us.”

Amid the off-pitch drama, Manchester City are looking to solidify their on-field performance. After breaking a seven-game winless streak with a victory against Nottingham Forest in midweek, Guardiola’s men will aim to secure consecutive league wins when they visit Crystal Palace on Saturday.