Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho revealed he had accepted an apology from Chelsea second assistant coach Marco Ianni following the furious touchline row that erupted at the end of a dramatic 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge.
Former Chelsea boss Mourinho was left incensed, leapt from his seat and had to be held back by stewards after Ianni celebrated wildly in front of him when Ross Barkley grabbed a 96th-minute equaliser for the hosts.
After tensions on the touchline had eventually been calmed, a further row erupted in the centre circle before play could finally resume.
However, in a post-match interview with Sky Sports, Mourinho revealed his argument with Ianni had been settled following an intervention from Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri.
‘I’m not annoyed with anything,’ said the Portuguese. “What happened was with Sarri’s assistant. Sarri was the first one to come to me and say he would resolve the problem internally.
‘After that his assistant came to me in Sarri’s office and apologised to me. I immediately told him “if you really feel that way and you want to apologise, of course I accept apologies and forget it because I also made lots of mistakes in my career, so I’m not going to kill because of one”.
‘Forget it, it’s over. He apologised and I accepted.’
Speaking to the BBC, Mourinho added: ‘It’s not my reaction. It’s Sarri’s assistant’s reaction. He was very unpolite but Sarri took care of the situation, he apologised immediately.
‘For me the story is over but don’t do what everyone does and say ‘Mourinho does things’, it was Sarri’s assistant.’
Chelsea’s fans goaded Mourinho following the touchline drama, prompting the United boss to hold three fingers up to home supporters after the final whistle, in reference to the number of Premier League titles he won at Stamford Bridge.
Asked if he had received the same level of respect he had shown to Chelsea, Mourinho said: ‘No, I don’t think [I did], but that’s not my responsibility.
‘I have a certain level of education, socially and in sport, and what I did here today I will do one day in Madrid, Porto, Milan and try to behave always in the same way which I did. Then the reaction of the fans is up to them.’
