Mourinho Declares Spurs As the Only Club He Has No Special Connection With

Jose Mourinho has taken an impromptu swipe at former club Tottenham and chairman Daniel Levy, saying it is the only team he has managed which he does not still feel a connection with.

The self-proclaimed ‘Special One’ was dismissed by Spurs in April 2021 less than a week before the Carabao Cup final against Manchester City – which they lost under interim boss Ryan Mason.

There had been tensions brewing in the team under Mourinho for some time and they were marooned in seventh place in the Premier League table when he was axed, while they had also been dumped out of the Europa League.

Mourinho was not out of work for long, however, taking over at Serie A giants Roma later that same summer, and he is now looking to add the Europa League trophy to the Europa Conference League title he claimed last season.

The Portuguese coach has rather famously won trophies at every club he has worked at over the last two decades except Tottenham, and he has now taken aim at Spurs and Levy for denying him a trip to Wembley two years ago.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday ahead of next Wednesday’s Europa League final, Mourinho said: ‘The reality is that… I hope the Tottenham fans don’t get me wrong but the only club in my career where I don’t have still a deep feeling for is Tottenham.

‘Probably because the stadium was empty, Covid time. Probably because Mr Levy didn’t let me win a final and win a trophy.

‘But it’s the only one. So after that – Porto, Chelsea, Inter, Real Madrid, Manchester United – all the clubs I feel a connection.’

He added: ‘Maybe people [will say] you cannot love every club – yes, I love every club!

‘I love every club because I always felt it the other way around, they also loved me.

‘So Roma one day it will be hard [to leave], it will be hard. But we will be connected forever, like I am with all my previous club. Apart from Mr Levy club.’

Mourinho’s swipe comes hot on the heels of Arne Slot electing to remain at Feyenoord, throwing Tottenham’s search for a permanent successor to Antonio Conte into chaos.

The north Londoners, who are also looking to appoint a new director of football, have already spent two months looking for a new manager and their latest setback has prompted parallels with their ill-fated 2021 search – when Mourinho was sacked – when they ultimately ended up with Nuno Espirito Santo, who only lasted four months.