‘He always seeks war’ – Giorgio Chiellini heaps praise on Tottenham’s Jose Mourinho

Jose Mourinho is a man who is usually loved by his own but hated by the opposition, and that isn’t by accident.

He has infuriated opposition fans on many occasions with his antics, including running down the touchline at Old Trafford after his Porto side got the winner and his wild celebration at the Camp Nou after Inter Milan side overcame Barcelona in 2010.

However, there are arguably few very places in which the ‘Special One’ is as hated as Juventus, having guided rivals Inter Milan to a treble.

Mourinho stuck three fingers to the crowd to remind Juve fans of his treble win when his Manchester United side won at the Allianz Arena last season.

So, given the animosity the Italian giants have towards the 58-year-old, it is somewhat surprising that one of Juventus’ all-time greats, Giorgio Chiellini, thinks very highly of him.

The legendary Italian defender has lavished praise on the Spurs boss and has claimed that his influence has made the game more enjoyable.

In his recently released biography, Io Giorgio (as relayed by Tribal Football), Chiellini wrote: “With Jose, another sacred monster on the bench, I have never spoken, apart from a few sporadic greetings. But his charisma has changed our sport.

“He always seeks war with someone or something, acting as a lightning rod. A bit like (Antonio) Conte: two strong characters that do not back down.

“Sometimes they do it by strategy, other times by nature. But they always have to fight.

“I think that Mourinho, for better or for worse, has brought emotions, a breath of fresh air. And I like those who transmit emotions, even if I hated him as an opponent, of course speaking sportily, because once the battle is over, only esteem remains.

“I don’t hold a grudge, and Mourinho is a great character.”

Spurs Web Opinion

Football purists love to hate Mourinho but even his harshest critics will admit that he has made the game much more interesting. As Chiellini says, he is a natural competitor who can’t help but pick fights, which certainly makes contests more entertaining.

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