Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho unrepentant in battle with Aston Villa managerial team

CHELSEA manager Jose Mourinho has hit back at claims he showed a lack of respect to Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert and his assistant Roy Keane.

CHELSEA manager Jose Mourinho has hit back at claims he showed a lack of respect to Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert and his assistant Roy Keane.

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Lambert and Keane were both critical of Mourinho’s attempt to shake hands before the end of Chelsea’s 3-0 victory over Villa at Stamford Bridge on September 27.

Jose Mourinho gets a terse reaction from an irate Paul Lambert.

Former Manchester United captain Keane labelled Mourinho’s actions “disgraceful” while Lambert backed up his deputy by saying: “My thoughts are exactly the same as Roy’s on them. The game has not even finished. I just thought it was wrong. It’s not the way I was brought up.”

But Mourinho, who has shaken hands with opposition managers before the final whistle on a number of occasions before, denied he was guilty of showing a lack of respect to the opposition.

“First of all, I appreciate the comments,” he said.

“I think they are both two great examples of polite and very well educated people, and because I’m a humble guy who tries to learn every day and with every experience, I appreciate the comments.”

Asked if he would do the same thing again, Mourinho replied: “Yes.”

The week following the Villa clash, Mourinho was involved in a touchline confrontation with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.

The Frenchman has subsequently apologised for pushing his opposite number but Mourinho insisted he had nothing more to add about the incident.

Mourinho: ‘I’m a humble guy’

“I gave you my reaction after the match, saying nothing had happened. The reaction from everyone else was saying nothing had happened,” Mourinho said.

Mourinho revealed a number of players are doubtful for the trip to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace this weekend, including Diego Costa who required treatment following international duty with Spain.

The forward returned early from a previous Spain stint in early September after injuring a hamstring in a friendly with France.

Since then, Mourinho has maintained Costa must be nursed through his recovery and was not yet ready to play two games a week.

But Costa played the whole of Spain’s defeat by Slovakia last week before being used for all but eight minutes of the victory over Luxemburg four days later.

Didier Drogba, Ramires, John Obi Mikel and Andre Schurrle are also rated doubtful to face Palace as Chelsea attempt to avenge a defeat by the Eagles in March that contributed to their failure to maintain their title challenge.

Originally published as Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho unrepentant in battle with Aston Villa managerial team