Jose: I’d be punished if I made Pep’s ‘political statements’

Matt Stead

Jose Mourinho does not believe that he would be permitted to make a political statement like Pep Guardiola.

City boss Guardiola wears a yellow ribbon in support of imprisoned Catalan politicians.

But ahead of the Manchester derby, Mourinho has suggested that he would be punished if he did similar.

“If the rules allow us to do that, he is a free citizen to do it,” Mourinho said.

“But I am not sure if the rules allows to have any political message on the pitch. That’s just my doubt.

“But I know Pep and I know his feelings like everybody else knows because it is public about his country.”

Asked if he would never do a similar thing, he added: “I think I wouldn’t be allowed to do. That’s just what I think.”

UEFA allow political messages without offensive content, while the Football Association is understood to have a similar criteria.