Jose Mourinho's jab at Icardi: 'He is a great GOAT, I won't comment'

Fenerbahçe manager Jose Mourinho held a press conference ahead of their UEFA Europa League match against Anderlecht. The experienced coach shared his thoughts on the upcoming challenge and addressed the injury problems within his squad. He also made a pointed remark regarding the posts Mauro Icardi made about him.

'THE IMPORTANT THING IS TO ADVANCE'

Emphasizing that he does not place too much importance on the results of first legs, Mourinho stated, "I don't think it's an advantage to play the first leg at home or away. With the away goals rule removed, we are now playing a single 180-minute match. First legs are comfortable for me because the second leg is always the decisive one."

'THERE IS NO SINGLE REASON FOR THE INJURIES'

Speaking about the recent string of injuries, the Portuguese manager noted that it is not correct to attribute the situation to a single cause. "People talk, but they don't know what they are talking about. There is a 50 percent difference between the injuries that occurred last February and those happening now. There is no single reason for the injuries. Diego Carlos and Yusuf suffered impact-related injuries. For names like İsmail, Çağlar, and Livakovic, the injuries are caused by the pitch, fatigue, and cold weather conditions. Therefore, it is not right to blame any single person," he said.

Mourinho also touched upon the criticism directed at the medical staff in the past, adding, "I protect the people I work with. They blamed the doctors in the past, but I pour water on the fire. The doctor is not the only one to blame because there is no single cause."

JAB AT ICARDI

Mauro Icardi's posts about him were also brought up during the press conference. Rather than responding directly to the Argentine striker, Mourinho replied with an ironic tone: "I have shown that I am the 'Special One' with the 26 trophies I have won in my 25-year career. Since Icardi is a great 'GOAT' (legend), I prefer not to comment on him; I just stay silent and accept it."

News Source: 12punto