Manchester United v Manchester City: How Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho went from best friends to worst enemies in bitter La Liga feud
Bosses enjoyed special bond at Barcelona but their relationship soured and they will add spice to Saturday's derby
PEP GUARDIOLA and Jose Mourinho will lock horns again on Saturday to renew a rivalry that could ignite a powder keg derby.
The former friends used to chat on the sidelines at Barcelona training, with young assistant Mourinho sharing knowledge with the tactically gifted midfielder.
In this room [the Bernabeu press room] Mourinho is the f***ing chief, the f***ing boss. He knows all about this and I don't want to compete with him in here.
Pep Guardiola
But once they were thrown into competition as rulers of Spain's two iconic clubs, their relationship was blown to pieces.
Now Mourinho has been cast as the Yin to Guardiola's Yang - the pragmatist with a win-at-all-costs mentality v the footballing purist.
So far, the younger man's famous tika-taka has come out on top on the field, with Pep winning seven of 16 meetings to Jose's three.
But the Special One is the king of the dark arts - a fact Guardiola openly admits as he shies away from conflict in the press.
He once remarked: "Senor Mourinho has permitted himself the luxury of calling me Pep, so I will call him Jose.
"Tomorrow at 8.45pm we face each other on the pitch. He has won the battle off the pitch. If he wants his own personal Champions League trophy away from the pitch, let him take it home and enjoy it.
"In this room [the Bernabeu press room] Mourinho is the f***ing chief, the f***ing boss. He knows all about this and I don't want to compete with him in here.
"I'd just like to remind him that I worked with him for four years [at Barcelona]. He knows me and I know him.
"I try to learn from Jose on the pitch, but I prefer to learn as little as possible from him off the pitch."
I hope one day Guardiola has the chance of winning a brilliant, clean championship with no scandal.
Jose Mourinho
Mourinho - who was interviews for the Nou Camp hot seat in 2008 - only beat Guardiola's Barcelona twice in 11 El Clasico clashes, which certainly hit a nerve.
And in typically brash fashion, he explained his poor record was down to his rival getting lucky with decisions in their meetings.
Mourinho, 53, roared: "Josep Guardiola is a fantastic coach. But I have won two Champions Leagues and he has won one Champions League - and that is one that would embarrass me.
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"I would be ashamed to have won it with the scandal of Stamford Bridge. If he wins it this year, it will be with the scandal of the Bernabeu. Deep down, if they are good people, it cannot taste right for them.
"I hope one day Guardiola has the chance of winning a brilliant, clean championship with no scandal."
Guardiola, of course, secured a second European triumph to join the man eight years his senior on two.
This season he will be tasked with finally bringing European glory to the Etihad after failing to do so at Bayern Munich, while Mourinho must secure United's place among Europe's elite first.
He's the exact opposite of Pep Guardiola. If Mourinho lights up a room, Guardiola draws the curtains
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Both will be defending perfect records at Old Trafford and, in what could be the tipping point, Mourinho has a former favourite to turn to.
The Swede said: "That guy says whatever he wants. I like him. He's the leader of his army. But he cares, too. He would text me all the time at Inter, wondering how I was doing.
"He's the exact opposite of Pep Guardiola. If Mourinho lights up a room, Guardiola draws the curtains. Mourinho would become a guy I was basically willing to die for."
And if a fired-up Ibra manages to get his revenge on Pep, opposite number Sergio Aguero's ban for an elbow on Winston Reid could swing the pendulum decisively in favour of the United side of two of football's most vicious rivalries.