Former Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho says he is not giving up hope of earning a title-winning bonus from 2018 because of Manchester City’s ongoing legal case with the Premier League.
United finished second to City in the 2017-18 season, which was Mourinho’s final full campaign in charge at Old Trafford.
City, who have since won four consecutive league titles, have been accused of breaking the Premier League’s financial rules between 2009 and 2018.
City deny the 115 charges and expect an outcome from the case by early 2025.
Should the club be found guilty, they could be stripped of silverware won during the period concerned.
Mourinho was asked about his old club before his current team Fenerbahce’s Europa League encounter with United in Istanbul on Thursday.
He mischievously made reference to the legal situation with City, which is being dealt with by an independent disciplinary commission that has unlimited sanctioning powers.
“As you know, we won the Europa League [in 2017] and we finished second in the Premier League [in 2018],” he said.
“I think we still have a chance to win that league because maybe they punish Man City with points and maybe we win that league and then they have to pay me the bonus and give me the medal.”
It was part of a 20-minute exchange that was typical of the kind of magnetism Mourinho still holds.
In praising United for keeping faith with current manager Erik ten Hag during the present difficult spell, Mourinho managed to refer back to his own dismissal in December 2018 after two and a half seasons in charge.
Mourinho said he was unaware he has never previously lost a home game against United.
He pointed out his previous encounters with them were with big clubs and said Fenerbahce would require the help of 35,000 home supporters in the stadium to stand any chance
