simon stone - chief football news reporter in istanbul
Former Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has cheekily claimed he is not giving up hope of earning a title-winning bonus from 2018 because of Manchester City's ongoing legal case with the Premier League.
United finished second to City in the 2017-18 season, which was Mourinho's final full campaign in charge at Old Trafford.
City, who have since won four consecutive league titles, have been accused of breaking the Premier League's financial rules between 2009 and 2018.
City deny the 115 charges and expect an outcome from the case by early 2025.
Should the club be found guilty, they could be stripped of silverware won during the period concerned.
Mourinho was asked about his old club before his current team Fenerbahce’s Europa League encounter with United in Istanbul on Thursday.
He mischievously made reference to the legal situation with City, which is being dealt with by an independent disciplinary commission that has unlimited sanctioning powers.
"As you know, we won the Europa League [in 2017] and we finished second in the Premier League [in 2018]," he said.
"I think we still have a chance to win that league because maybe they punish Man City with points and maybe we win that league and then they have to pay me the bonus and give me the medal."
It was part of a 20-minute exchange that was typical of the kind of magnetism Mourinho still holds.
In praising United for keeping faith with current manager Erik ten Hag during the present difficult spell, Mourinho managed to refer back to his own dismissal in December 2018 after two and a half seasons in charge.
"I wish the best to Man United since the moment I left," he said.
"I left with a good feeling to the club and with a good feeling to the fans. If things are not going amazingly well for them it's not something that makes me happy.
"It doesn't make sense for me to be thinking about what happened and what didn't happen.
"What happened for sure, because it's very objective, is they keep faith in the coach, they support the coach, the coach is staying season after season and that means stability, it means trust, and they are giving him conditions to keep developing his job. That was different in relation to me."
Mourinho said he was unaware he has never previously lost a home game against United.
He pointed out his previous encounters with them were with big clubs and said Fenerbahce would require the help of 35,000 home supporters in the stadium to stand any chance of victory.
"We are going to try and we can do it, but there is a gap," Mourinho said.
Mourinho also offered his view on Sir Alex Ferguson, who will lose his ambassadorial role at United at the end of the season.
The pair have got on ever since Mourinho arrived at Chelsea in 2004 and despite his own experience at Old Trafford, it is clear Mourinho's affection for the 82-year-old remains.
"He is amazing, incredible," said Mourinho. "When my Netflix documentary comes out, you will know why I have so much respect.
"I don't know the situation, it doesn't matter why or what. He has the love and respect of every Man United fan around the world. That is more important than the ambassadorial role or money he doesn't need."
Mourinho is already encountering some criticism, with Fenerbahce eight points adrift of old rivals Galatasaray in the Turkish league table.
He said he would take the advice of local journalists before finalising his line-up for the United game.
However, after two spells with Chelsea, plus his time with United and Tottenham, it appears the 61-year-old is not finished with the Premier League just yet.
"Sooner or later they [Manchester United] will succeed," he said. "Hopefully it is sooner, hopefully before one day I go back to the Premier League and they become my opponent.
"At this moment they are just my opponents for one match."
