Barcelona legend Xavi Hernández questioned José Mourinho’s coaching qualities in an implied warning to Manchester United, whose management had reportedly been planning since the previous week to appoint him and dismiss Louis van Gaal, the coach who discovered Xavi.
The Al-Sadd player felt the former Chelsea manager cared only about results, without commitment to a particular playing style. In his view, neglecting performance showed Mourinho had added little new to football.
Xavi said: “Mourinho sees the game completely differently. He always wants to win at any cost, without concern for the team’s level or performance on the pitch. You can see that clearly in how all his clubs have played.
“I respect that philosophy, but winning at any cost means you cannot remain faithful to a playing style and performance. For me, the means do not always justify the end.
“I have great respect for him and he has achieved important things, but I have not seen a real addition from Mourinho to football in terms of playing style.”
Xavi worked with the Portuguese coach at Camp Nou for a considerable period during Bobby Robson’s and Van Gaal’s spells in charge of Barcelona.