Four years have passed since their last heated exchanges, but tomorrow, Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer are set to face off once more.
These two prominent figures from the Premier League era now find themselves managing clubs in Istanbul.
Both Mourinho, known as the “Special One,” and the usually calmer Solskjaer are likely to embrace the intense atmosphere of the match. Fenerbahce needs a victory against Solskjaer`s Besiktas to keep their faint title hopes alive.
It`s hard not to imagine that both former Manchester United managers would eagerly seize another opportunity to work in English football.
Mourinho`s impressive achievement of winning three Premier League titles across two stints at Chelsea clearly surpasses Solskjaer`s managerial periods at Cardiff and United. While at Old Trafford, the Portuguese coach secured both the Carabao Cup and the Europa League, whereas Solskjaer`s most notable moment was narrowly losing the Europa League final on penalties to Villarreal in May 2021.
Their previous public disagreement occurred less than two months before that, following United`s 3-1 win at Mourinho`s Tottenham. Mourinho was sacked by Spurs chairman Daniel Levy just a week later. The spat became quite juvenile, with Solskjaer accusing Son Heung-min of “conning” the referee, leading to a VAR review that disallowed a United goal.
Solskjaer remarked then: “If my son behaved like that and was surrounded by his friends, he wouldn`t get any food.”
Mourinho reacted by saying Solskjaer`s comments made him “very sad,” adding, “Sonny is very fortunate that his father is a better individual than Ole. As a parent, you must always provide for your children. If stealing is necessary to feed your kids, you steal. I am profoundly disappointed. As the Portuguese saying goes, `bread is bread and cheese is cheese` (meaning facts are facts). I`ve already conveyed my thoughts on his comments to Ole.”
Now, four years later, they face each other again after Solskjaer took charge of Besiktas (the Black Eagles) in January.
Since succeeding Giovanni van Bronckhorst, the 52-year-old Solskjaer has guided his team from seventh to fourth place in the Turkish Super Lig, with a potential opportunity to secure a Europa League play-off spot if they can overtake Samsunspor, currently in third.
For Mourinho, however, the situation is different; his team is five points behind their fierce rivals Galatasaray with five games left, making this match a critical must-win.
Despite their history, the two managers appear to have put their past animosities aside for now, at least publicly before the game.
When asked about their personal rivalry, Solskjaer, the man famous for scoring the late winner against Bayern Munich to secure Manchester United`s 1999 Treble, chose to downplay it.
The Besiktas coach stated: “This fixture isn`t about Jose Mourinho versus Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. It`s a contest between Besiktas and Fenerbahce. The outcome will be determined by the players. I have significant respect for Mourinho.
“Few managers have achieved his level of success, so I`m anticipating this derby match.”
Considering their significant careers in English football, it seems somewhat surprising to find both managers currently working in Turkey – and it`s likely not where they intend to finish their careers.
Finding a suitable Premier League club for Solskjaer might be challenging, although his experience at Cardiff indicates he could be a viable candidate for an ambitious team in the Championship.
However, Joe Cole, a former Chelsea and England star who experienced Mourinho`s direct communication style firsthand, believes the 62-year-old “Special One” is not finished with the Premier League yet.
Cole remarked: “Jose remains a managerial genius. He still possesses immense potential. I would be delighted to see him return to the Premier League. He attracts massive attention. If your goal is to win trophies, Mourinho is the manager to choose.”
Mourinho departed Spurs with a point to prove, which he did by winning the UEFA Conference League with Roma in 2022. Similar to Solskjaer, he appears to have unfinished business in England and would likely welcome one more opportunity there.
This weekend, however, the focus is entirely on the vibrant and passionate atmosphere of Istanbul.
A draw would benefit Solskjaer, who has suggested his team might play without a traditional striker, whereas Mourinho is under pressure to secure a victory.
The one certainty is that the match will generate significant excitement and tension, both during the game and potentially in the interactions between the managers. It`s likely they both prefer it that way.
