Former Man United and Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is rumored to be making a sensational return, prompting Gary Lineker to speak out about his relationship with the Portuguese manager.
Lineker reveals his relationship with Jose Mourinho (Image: Getty Images)
Gary Lineker has admitted he remains confused by his rollercoaster relationship with Jose Mourinho, more than a decade after their high-profile snub.
The former Match of the Day presenter previously opened up about his relationship with The Special One, saying they were no longer as close as they used to be.
Lineker believes the turning point was an incident in 2015 when Mourinho asked someone else to present him with the award. And 11 years later, the former admits he still hasn’t gotten the answers he wants.
Speaking at Netflix’s Sports Club, Lineker said: “He’s had his ups and downs, and I know that from experience. Jose is fascinating. He would always text me and say, ‘I love what you said on Match of the Day.’ That’s the kind of relationship that I had with him.”
“Then it stopped. It stopped. That was it. To this day, I don’t know what I said to make him angry.”
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“GQ asked me to give him the Sportsman of the Year award (Editor’s Special Award) when he was at Chelsea. I said, ‘Of course I will.’ This was after about six months of silence.
“I got a call the day before and they said, ‘Jose actually wants someone other than a footballer to present,’ so I said, ‘I’m still going.’
“So I went up to him and asked, “Is there a problem?” He said, “No,” and I said, “Really?” and he said, “No.” I still don’t understand. Maybe it was a bad joke or something. ”
Mourinho has naturally been rumored to be returning to his old club Real Madrid in recent days. President Florentino Perez reportedly considers Benfica’s current manager an ideal candidate to replace Alvaro Arbeloa.
Mourinho has recently been linked with a return to Real Madrid (Image: Getty Images)
And Lineker believes a return to the Bernabéu is a possibility. He added: “I think there is a good chance that he will be the next manager of Real Madrid. I think it is very likely and I know that the president really loves him.”
Mourinho has been with Benfica since September last year. His contract remains until 2027.
“Everyone knows the situation. After the season ends, you will have 10 days to decide whether to continue or to part ways,” he said, referring to last week’s rumors about his relationship with Real Madrid.
“I’ve said what I need to say. I’ve said enough, probably more than enough. So I don’t need to say any more. I said what I said, I said it, and there’s no need to repeat it. That’s it.”
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