Monday’s International Champions Cup friendly in Beijing was to be the first time the Manchester derby had taken place on foreign soil, with the renewal of hostilities between Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola whetting the appetite further.
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“Beijing has seen continuous heavy rains in recent days”.
“He [Mourinho] wants to win, I want to win”, the Spaniard added.
Asked if he would shake Guardiola’s hand, former Chelsea boss Mourinho said: “To qualify the question I would use some impolite words”. They had their training sessions moved at short notice from the national stadium to the Olympic Sports Centre the day before the game as they worked out in stifling and humid conditions.
Guardiola had commented on their relationship: “We are polite guys”.
“I saw the last game against Borussia Dortmund (when United lost 4-1) and that’s all (apart from) a little bit against Wigan”.
“We know the conditions, but we have to play”.
The second and final game of Manchester United’s preseason tour of China has been cancelled.
The development topped off a pre-season trip for United that ended chaotically, with organisation as bad as the weather meaning Mourinho just wants to get his players home in one piece.
More rain is forecast overnight, though, and even if it does go ahead player safety remains a concern, with the pitch a worry for Guardiola and United counterpart Mourinho.
“But in a match it’s more hard so, again, I hope our players and City’s players go home without any kind of injury to start the competitive period well”.
Half of his players were caught on a plane Saturday which had to make a forced landing between Shanghai and Beijing because of a violent storm in the capital. Why not? Why should he not shake my hand?
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“I worked with him for three years at Barcelona”. You play Thursday and then I don’t think they (the Premier League) are going to play us Monday, they are going to play us Sunday and probably at 12 o’clock.
