Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho tried to cool his ongoing feud with Chelsea counterpart Antonio Conte, but acknowledged having contempt for the Italian.
The pair s war of words began when Mourinho seemingly labelled some of his contemporaries – without naming any individuals – clowns for their behaviour on the touchline, to which Conte suggested the Portuguese coach was referring to himself.
Mourinho responded with another barb relating to the Italian s four-month ban for failing to report alleged match fixing – of which he was later acquitted – while at Siena in 2011, saying what never happened to me and will never happen is to be suspended for match fixing .
Conte then branded the United boss a little man and Mourinho, while refraining from retaliating again, made his opinion of the Chelsea head coach clear.
boss Antonio Conte and counterpart Jose Mourinho have become embroiled in a bitter war of words.
Is anybody in this saga really winning?
— Omnisport (@OmnisportNews)
Speaking at a news conference ahead of Monday s visit of Stoke City, he said: I think when a person insults another you can expect a response, or you can expect contempt.
The first time he insulted me I had response, a response that I know touched the point where he really feels hurt.
Then he insults me for a second time, but now I change and now contempt [is there]. And for me, contempt means end of the story.
