Guardiola: Too old for sparring with Mourinho

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has said he’s getting too old for the verbal sparring with rival Jose Mourinho.

Mourinho said at a news conference earlier on Friday that that Raheem Sterling would be fit to play Tottenham on Saturday despite withdrawing from the England squad because of injury.

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He went on to suggest that City had pressured England manager Gareth Southgate into omitting Sterling and asked Guardiola to respond to the accusation.

Guardiola, who repeatedly tangled with Mourinho during their spells in charge of Barcelona and Real Madrid, said that he’s had enough of the barbs.

“You have to speak to the doctors about these other things, don’t ask me,” Guardiola told a news conference later on Friday.

“I’m almost 50. I’m old enough to understand. Listen, I’m not going to answer anything about Jose.

“Raheem today [Friday] was the first training that he did

“Mourinho has to speak to the doctor for the national team of England and the doctor for Manchester City.

“Maybe Mourinho is a doctor, I don’t know.

“He accused us of something we have done that is not true.”

Guardiola committed his immediate future to City on Thursday by signing a new two-year contract extension.

If he stays at the Etihad Stadium until 2023 it will comfortably be his longest spell in charge of any club but the 49-year-old is not ruling out extending his stay even further.

“I don’t know, when I arrive here I didn’t expect to be seven years,” he added.

“I don’t know what is going to happen. It depends on the results to be honest. If we have success and we are happy, why not?

“If we don’t have success, we will be less happy and I think we are going to change. It’s simple.

“I’m here and will continue to try to have incredible success. Last year we won two titles, we won eight titles in three seasons and we want to do it again.”