“It’s weakness, I hate it,” Mourinho hits out at Guardiola over his sabbatical year.

José Mourinho shared his view on the coaching profession and directed a barely veiled jab at Pep Guardiola. In his documentary aired on Netflix, the Portuguese technician explained that he does not understand coaches who decide to take a break in their careers. Pep Guardiola, who left Manchester City last June after a decade on the Citizens’ bench, is currently enjoying a sabbatical. The Spaniard had done the same after leaving FC Barcelona in 2012, taking a year off before joining Bayern Munich.

An approach Mourinho clearly does not share. The two men have had a rivalry since Mourinho’s stint at Real Madrid in the early 2010s. In comments reported by Yahoo Sports, Mourinho was particularly adamant when asked about coaches who choose to take a sabbatical. “Some guys need a sabbatical year… which I hate,” he said. He insisted: “I hate that word. For me, a sabbatical year means weakness. Don’t talk to me about sabbaticals. I never need rest. I will rest when God decides to tell me: ‘Come back.’” The Portuguese technician also talked about his future and his desire to continue his career on the sidelines for a long time.

“I still want to win trophies”

Mourinho does not seem ready to turn the page. The Real Madrid manager believes he can remain in high-level football for several more years. “I can’t even imagine when I will stop my involvement in football. I would say another ten years, but it could be more. It’s a pleasure,” he explained. The Portuguese still has the same ambition: to enrich his trophy cabinet. “It has been, is, and will always be a pleasure. I aspire to win more trophies. I want to achieve new ones. I want to replicate my successes,” he added.

Mourinho wants to continue taking on new challenges, both in clubs he already knows and in environments he has never explored. “My life is marked by entering a football stadium filled with 50,000 or 90,000 supporters. I’ve even seen some with 100,000. It’s my universe. Without football, I miss something,” he confided. And despite this burning passion, the Portuguese refuses to speak of obsession: “I don’t perceive it as an obsession. I don’t consider it an obsession. It’s simply that when you reach a certain level, you want to stay there indefinitely.“