Jose Mourinho has launched an extraordinary riposte to Graeme Souness and Jamie Carragher for their criticism of Chelsea, telling the two former Liverpool legends that their memories have failed them and that "envy is the biggest tribute that the shadows do to the man".
Souness had described the Chelsea players as "pathetic" for how they surrounded the referee prior to Zlatan Ibrahimoivc's sending off against Paris St Germain on Tuesday. Carragher, who was also working as a Sky Sports pundit, said that it was "disgraceful" and that Mourinho's team would never be loved.
"Jamie stopped playing a couple of years ago and, in two years, he forget everything he did on the pitch," said Mourinho. "Mr Souness also, but he stopped playing a long times ago. I coached Benfica, I know a lot about him, so much about him. But I'm a certain kind of education, not just in football but in life, and I prefer to laugh. Envy is the biggest tribute that the shadows do to the man. It's about life."
Asked if he would ever instruct a team to pressurise a referee, Mourinho said: "The world is a bit strange. Maybe because of diet and maybe the quality of the products we are eating, memories are getting shorter. Because, you know, when Jamie Carragher and Graeme Souness speak about it, it's because they are having a problem for sure."
Mourinho also said that his Chelsea players will personally pay any fine they receive for their collective on-field behaviour and boldly stated that Chelsea will now win the Premier League.
"If they surround the referee we are charged and we have to pay a fine, and if we do that the players pay the fine," said Mourinho. "We have, in this moment, I think eight or nine months of competition and we were charged once. We paid for that. It's as simple as that.
"The people that lost, who were out of the Champions League last Wednesday, are the same people who have been top of the Premier League from day one. The same people who won the Capital One Cup. The same people who are going to win the Premier League.
"We are exactly the same people. If we do that, a season with a Premier League and a Capital One Cup is a brilliant season. A brilliant season. The reality is we haven't lost a game since the Bradford game. We lost two matches in the Premier League all season.
"In the Champions League, maybe it's a unique case to be out without a single defeat. I'm not like you. The nature of your job is to go with the wind. The wind blows to that side, you go to that side. I'm not like that with my players. I like my players and trust my players. I support my players. We win together and lose together. I'm not like people want me to be, or like people like to describe me."
Mourinho also turned on a reporter from Sky Sports News following further questions about the PSG game. "Why are you so pessimistic in life? It's more difficult to succeed," said Mourinho. "You have to be optimistic. Maybe you are a guy with great potential and you don't move on because you're pessimistic.
"Be optimistic. Believe in yourself, be positive. We want to win against Southampton. We have 11 matches to play, an advantage of five points and a game in hand. We are optimistic. You look pessimistic. Move on man."
Mourinho also said that all his players are ready now for Southampton, despite the predictions of his team doctor. "My doctor told me, after the game, maybe tomorrow you'll have a few injuries," he said. "Why? Because we lost, because people are sad.
"Maybe there'll be a couple of injuries. But zero injuries. Everybody wants to play. Not like journalists, when they write ******** and then, the next press conference, they don't come. My players don't do that. All fit."
Originally Posted by adzzzbatch
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