Ex-Chelsea star reveals the club Jose Mourinho hated the most
Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has spilt the beans on the intense dislike of Jose Mourinho for Arsenal during his time at Stamford Bridge.
Speaking on his “Obi One” podcast, Mikel revealed that Mourinho’s attitude would completely change whenever Chelsea faced the Gunners as the Portuguese manager never wanted to lose to Arsene Wenger’s side.
Mikel shared that while Mourinho acknowledged rivalries with clubs like Manchester United it was Arsenal that truly got under his skin. “Arsenal, he [Mourinho] kind of hated [them]. There was rivalry with Manchester United, but Arsenal he [really] hated,” Mikel stated.
He recalled how Mourinho’s infamous feud with Wenger including their touchline clash at Stamford Bridge which showcased the intensity of this rivalry. Mourinho famously dubbed Wenger a “specialist in failure,” highlighting the psychological tactics he used to unsettle his opponents.
A different ball game of Jose Mourinho against Arsenal
Mikel noted that every match against Arsenal was approached differently by Mourinho. “In the build-up towards facing them, his attitude, demeanour, everything changes. He was serious, paid attention to all the details, and everybody had to be on their game,” Mikel said.
The former Chelsea star emphasized that Mourinho’s desire to beat Arsenal was unmatched leading to a meticulous preparation process that left no room for error.
Mourinho’s record against Arsenal backs up Mikel’s claims. In 23 encounters with the Gunners throughout his managerial career, Mourinho lost only three times, winning 12 of those clashes.
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His success against Arsenal was not limited to Chelsea as he continued to frustrate the Gunners during his stints with Manchester United and Tottenham.
Last season, Mourinho took another dig at Arsenal and their current manager, Mikel Arteta, over their defensive approach in a match against Manchester City.
“The way they [Arsenal] played to get that point – and the way the media spoke about a magic strategy.”
Mourinho pointed out the hypocrisy in how the media praised Arteta’s tactics while criticizing him for similar strategies in the past. “In my time, it was not a magic strategy. And I won at Manchester City a few times. But it was not an amazing strategy. It was a defensive game. Park the bus. Park the double bus,” Mourinho remarked.
Now at Fenerbahce Mourinho continues to be a polarizing figure although his recent failure to lead the Turkish side into the UEFA Champions League has been a setback. Despite this, his legacy, particularly his battles with Arsenal, remains a defining part of his illustrious career.