Jose Mourinho reveals what he truly thinks of Arsenal style under Mikel Arteta | OneFootball

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has defended Arsenal and does not think that anyone should take anything away from the way that Mikel Arteta’s side played last season.

Arsenal won the Premier League title last season for the first time since 2004.

The north London club also reached the final of the Champions League, only for Paris Saint-Germain to win it on penalties.

Arsenal have long been associated with wonderful, free-flowing and attacking football, with the legendary Arsene Wenger earning worldwide acclaim for the way he moulded the Gunners in his own image.

However, last season, there was criticism levelled at Arsenal for the way they played under manager Mikel Arteta.

Arsenal were mocked by rival fans for being a set-piece team, although the Emirates Stadium faithful did not mind the way the Gunners won.

Mourinho, who has returned to Real Madrid for the second time in his career as manager, too, does not see any problem with Arsenal winning the way he did.

The former Manchester United and Chelsea manager himself is considered by many as a defensive coach.

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho defends Arsenal

During the extensive interview with Vanity Fair, Mourinho was asked: “Part of why people said you were anti-Barca was the style, the approach of your teams at times. And this season, Arsenal’s style under Mikel Arteta was criticised as too defensive, or ‘anti-football’ in the most extreme. Watching that commentary this year, did you think back to what was said about your title-winning teams as Arsenal went on to win the league?’

Mourinho responded by saying: “No, not at all.

“Nowadays, but even before, there was a silly theory of, ‘You can be great without winning’.

“For me, it’s totally silly. It goes against the nature of sport, because in sport, the objective is to win.

“I don’t like that [stylistic criticism]. I don’t agree with that.

“I think people work and try to win with the best qualities that your team can have.

“In relation to Arsenal, I believe that if Arsenal tried to be a second Man City, probably they wouldn’t win.

“So they won. You have to respect the winners.

“This is what I do in relation to Arsenal, but no, no, I don’t look back, I don’t compare ourselves with them.

“Because at the end of the day, that Inter team that won that Champions League – before that iconic defensive match where we played with 10 men for more than one hour – one week before, we beat Barcelona 3-1.

“And people don’t speak about scoring three goals and winning 3-1 against Barcelona.

“They prefer to talk about what I consider one of the best-ever defensive performances by a team that with 10 men resisted for more than one hour against the best team in the world at that time.”