JOSE MOURINHO APPEARED to take a swipe at his old foe and Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola after guiding Chelsea to their fourth Premier League title.
Eden Hazard’s headed rebound, after his initial penalty had been saved, was enough for Chelsea to clinch the league with three games to spare courtesy of a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
It marks the eighth domestic league title that Mourinho has won across four different countries during his coaching career.
One of those triumphs came in the 2011-12 season when in charge of Real Madrid as the capital club amassed 100 points to beat Barcelona – then coached by Guardiola – to the La Liga title.
Since then, Guardiola has led Bayern Munich to consecutive league crowns as they continue to be the dominant force in the Bundesliga, while Mourinho opted to return to Stamford Bridge after spells as boss of Inter and Real.
“For me I’m not the smartest guy to choose countries and clubs. I could choose another club in another country where to be champion is easier,” said the Portuguese in an apparent reference to Guardiola.
“I choose a club where I was happier before and a country where you are happy before. I took a risk. I am so, so happy because I won another Premier League title 10 years after [my first] in my second spell at the club.
“I was champion at every club I coached. I came to Inter, Real Madrid and Chelsea. Every title is important, to win the title in Spain with 100 points against the best Barcelona ever was a big achievement that I enjoyed so much.
“Maybe in the future I have to be smarter and choose another club in another country where everybody is champion. Maybe I will go to a country where a kit-man can be coach and win the title.
“Maybe I need to be smarter but I still enjoy these difficulties. I think I’m at the right place. I’m here until [Chelsea owner Roman] Abramovich tells me to go.”
