Guardiola vs. Mourinho

[stevoc]

Has he? The vast majority of their meetings took place in El Clasico games. Guardiola's Barca were obviously incredible, but Mourinho had a fantastic Real side as well, and it was his job at Real Madrid to get his side to the level of Guardiola's Bayern. I'd understand if Guardiola's record was bolstered by his games against Mourinho's Inter and Chelsea, but he only gains one win in that respect. The significant bolstering of his record against Mourinho comes in El Clasico games.

You don't think Barca circa 2010-2012 had a much better side than Real?

They are widely considered the best club side in history from around that time not to mention they had Messi the best player in the history of the game according to most.

Their midfield of Xavi, Busquets and Iniesta along with other Barca players won the Euros 2008, Cl 2009, World Cup 2010, CL 2011, Euros 2012. They were an incredible winning machine.

So yes it's my opinion that Barca had a much better side than Real during those two years both Jose and Pep were in Spain together. Yes Real had a fantastic side but Barca were just much better than them and everyone else and had been together much longer as a team. Real had to play defenders in midfield and park the bus just to stay in some games and not get hammered (like they did in 2010 when Barca won 5-0), such was the gap between the sides and even then they still lost most of the time.

It's actually some achievement that despite Barca being the much better side, Mourinho still managed to win a League and a Cup during those two years.

 

[Arruda]

I think Jose did fairly well at Madrid in the first two seasons. Barcelona were borderline perfect, just saying "it was his job to make Real as good as them" is extremely unfair. Of course that was the aim of the people who hired him (and of himself certainly), it doesn't mean it wasn't an unrealistically difficult task. You aim for the top, not getting there doesn't mean you were poor.

 

[sugar_kane]

In the seven seasons Ronaldo has been at Real, winning Ballon D'ors and averaging 40 league goals per season, they've only won La Liga once.

I always find this surprising somehow as does anyone else I mention it to.

Mourinho was the man who delivered that title.

 

[Manchester Dan]

You can debate it all day but the main thing that seperates them is just which approach you prefer -they're both winners it's just about how you prefer to win. Their spells at City and United will hopefully go a long way to separating them.

I wouldn't swap, mind you.

 

[cyberman]

Barca finished 3rd the season before he was appointed, with 18 points gap between them and the first place. Not sure if this qualifies as a ready made winning machine, really

When the league was gone they focused on Europe and outplayed our 08 side over two leg in a CL semi final. He did a good job but lets not pretend they were this average team.

 

[harms]

When the league was gone they focused on Europe and outplayed our 08 side over two leg in a CL semi final. He did a good job but lets not pretend they were this average team.

They were far from average, but he did a very big job rebuilding that team and there is a fine margin between 3rd place in the league plus a good CL semi-finals and one of the greatest club sides in the history of football.

Can't say that they outplayed us though, Fergie had a plan and it all went according to it. They were our toughest opponent that year though.

 

[stevoc]

I think Jose did fairly well at Madrid in the first two seasons. Barcelona were borderline perfect, just saying "it was his job to make Real as good as them" is extremely unfair. Of course that was the aim of the people who hired him (and of himself certainly), it doesn't mean it wasn't an unrealistically difficult task. You aim for the top, not getting there doesn't mean you were poor.

Definitely mate harsh to say the least. That Barca team had in my opinion not only the worlds best player but also Xavi and Iniesta who back then were definitely in the top 5-10 players in the world.

There was really no way Mourinho could build a side better than Barca had the players were just not around to buy. Despite that i think he did really well to compete with them. As stated earlier in those two years they both won a league and cup each.