Jose Mourinho responds to Arsene Wenger’s latest suggestion regarding offside rules.

Jose Mourinho, the renowned football manager, made an appearance on TNT Sports ahead of the highly anticipated UEFA Champions League Final between Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid at Wembley Stadium in London on June 1, 2024.

During the interview, Mourinho light-heartedly expressed his desire to avoid a confrontation with his long-time rival, Arsene Wenger, who has been advocating for changes to the offside law. Wenger has been pushing for a modification to the current offside rule, which requires any part of the attacker’s body with which they can score to be behind the last defender.

Instead, Wenger proposes the introduction of a visible gap between the defender and attacker, known as ‘daylight’, for an offside offence to occur. Wenger first proposed this idea back in 2020, stating that the current rule allows for marginal decisions based on body parts like a player’s nose, which he believes should not be considered offside. As FIFA’s global chief of football development, Wenger is now attempting to implement this alteration through trials in Sweden.

However, Mourinho remains unconvinced by Wenger’s proposal. When asked about the possibility of Wenger joining the TNT Sports pundits, Mourinho jokingly replied, “I’d have to stand in between him and Jose.. Ask him what he wants to do about offside.. oh my god. Oh my god. Let me go before, please.”

The rivalry between Mourinho and Wenger dates back to their time as managers of Chelsea and Arsenal, respectively. Mourinho’s first spell at Chelsea saw him dethrone Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’ of the 2003/04 season. The feud between the two escalated when Ashley Cole controversially transferred from Arsenal to Chelsea, resulting in fines for both the player and the clubs involved.

During Mourinho’s second stint at Chelsea, he and Wenger were involved in a physical confrontation on the touchline at Stamford Bridge. Their rivalry has been a prominent feature in English football.

In terms of the offside rule, Premier League clubs have already voted in favor of introducing semi-automated offside technology next season, following its successful implementation in the World Cup and Champions League. This technology was evident in Saturday’s final, as Niclas Fullkrug’s late header was quickly confirmed as offside.

If Wenger’s proposed changes to the offside rule are implemented, Mourinho may find himself managing in the Turkish Super Lig. He strongly hinted on TNT Sports that Fenerbahce will be his next managerial destination, revealing that he has been in contact with the club’s chairman and plans to fly to Istanbul on Monday.

As the interview took place, Mourinho watched Dortmund struggle in the first half of the final, failing to capitalize on their opportunities. However, Real Madrid picked up the pace in the second half, with Dani Carvajal scoring the opening goal from a corner and Vinicius Junior doubling the lead after an assist from Jude Bellingham. With this victory, Real Madrid secured their 15th European title.