Jose Mourinho played down the significance of not shaking hands with Antonio Conte after Manchester United were downed 1-0 by Chelsea on Sunday.
The pair have maintained an uneasy relationship since Conte arrived in the Premier League, and tempers flared last season when the Italian was accused of over-celebrating his team’s goals during a 4-0 thrashing of the Red Devils.
On Sunday, too, Mourinho was bypassed by Conte at the final whistle as the Chelsea boss went straight onto the pitch to greet his players, leaving the ‘Special One’ with members of his backroom staff.
United’s manager, however, insisted there was no problem between the two when asked about the handshake that never was.
“You want me to go and chase him in the middle of the pitch? I was there. I shook hands with the people who were there,” he told reporters after the game.
“I think one of them was his brother, the assistant, so I feel that by shaking the hands of his brother and the other assistants that I did my duty. I cannot go and run to chase him.
“Why should I wait [in the tunnel]? He doesn’t have to wait. There is no problem with it at all. You are always worried with these things… no problem.”
- “You want me to go and chase him in the middle of the pitch? I was there. I shook hands with the people who were there,” he told reporters after the game.
“I think one of them was his brother, the assistant, so I feel that by shaking the hands of his brother and the other assistants that I did my duty. I cannot go and run to chase him.
“Why should I wait [in the tunnel]? He doesn’t have to wait. There is no problem with it at all. You are always worried with these things… no problem.”
Mourinho added that United deserved to take something away from a well-matched game that was eventually decided by Alvaro Morata’s header..
“It was a big game. Powerful team against powerful team. Tactically, emotionally, physically. Of course, we missed some important players who weren’t available,” he said..
“The team that scored first would probably win, because both were good defensively. Being in front would always be an advantage.
“They scored before us and were in a more comfortable position. We lost emotionally for a few minutes after the goal. We struggled being confident and playing again, but we had a good reaction and control.
“We showed initiative, courage and had the chance to equalise, which would have been a fair result.”
- “It was a big game. Powerful team against powerful team. Tactically, emotionally, physically. Of course, we missed some important players who weren’t available,” he said..
“The team that scored first would probably win, because both were good defensively. Being in front would always be an advantage.
“They scored before us and were in a more comfortable position. We lost emotionally for a few minutes after the goal. We struggled being confident and playing again, but we had a good reaction and control.
“We showed initiative, courage and had the chance to equalise, which would have been a fair result.”
