Mourinho vs. Wenger: Soccer’s last great managerial rivalry
Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger go head to head in the Premier League once again on Saturday, so we decided to take a look at one of soccer’s great managerial rivalries.
Mourinho vs. Wenger: A brief history
Arsene Wenger has been consistently successful in his 20-year spell in charge of Arsenal. He has taken the Gunners to Premier League and FA cup glory as well as a Champions League final. He has led his team to victories over some of their fiercest rivals and past some of the best managers in the game. However, one thing that has eluded Wenger in his illustrious managerial career is a victory over Jose Mourinho in the Premier League. (Wenger has triumphed over Mourinho in the Charity Shield, but it’s unlikely even Arsenal fans will count that one.) They come together once again when Arsenal visit Manchester United in this Saturday’s early kickoff.
The two managers have met on 11 occasions in the Premier League with the first match dating back to December 2004, when Arsenal and Chelsea played out a thrilling 2-2 draw. Since that match, Mourinho has claimed five victories and six draws against Wenger. The off-field mind games, touchline spats and snubbed handshakes between the two managers are what make this rivalry special.
The two have frequently engaged in a war of words in the buildup to matches and hopefully this week won’t be any different. Wenger has criticized Mourinho’s lineups for their lack of homegrown players, while Mourinho has gone as far to call his French counterpart a “voyeur.” This kind of back and forth even existed when Mourinho was the manager of Real Madrid, with both managers not-so-subtly criticizing the other for his managerial style and tactics. It’s clear they make each other’s blood boil and that’s what makes their rivalry such great viewing.
Managerial rivalries are becoming a thing of the past
In modern day soccer, managers are lucky to stay at a club for more than a season. Money has changed the game for the better in some ways, and for the worse in other. Most clubs in the Premier League demand good results and consistent progress from their managers — if not, it’s likely they’ll face the sack. Wealthy owners and delusional Chief Executives make for fickle and impatient superiors who would rather replace a manager than persevere.
This has led to a decline in the type of beautiful rivalry that exists between Mourinho and Wenger. These days, managers don’t have the time at their respective clubs to build up discontent for their rivals. Wenger is no stranger to this type of rivalry, though. Before Mourinho, Wenger’s sparring partner was Sir Alex Ferguson. Wenger frequently locked horns with Ferguson in a similar way to that in which he locks horns with Mourinho today. So perhaps Wenger may even welcome his battles with the Special One.
Wenger also has a long-standing history at Old Trafford. In one match at the Theatre of Dreams, Wenger ended up standing above the dugout among the gleeful Manchester United fans after kicking a bottle on the touchline. In Mourinho and Old Trafford, then, Wenger will face his two greatest rivals at once. If his side can claim a win on Saturday, it could be one of the sweetest in his career (although a draw would still be a good result, and would maintain the Gunners’ current unbeaten run.)
Next: Philippe Coutinho has always been this good
Ding ding, Round 12
When Saturday roles around, the question is who will win, Mourinho or Wenger? Arsenal are certainly favorites with Mourinho yet to put his stamp on this star-studded Manchester United side. However, I’m almost certain the Portuguese maestro will have a few tricks up his sleeve in the buildup to this match. He may not believe his players can win this match for him, but he knows he can get inside Wenger’s head and disrupt the Frenchman’s game plan.