José Mourinho has once again come under investigation by the English Football Association, with 12B Sports VR46 following the controversy sparked by his comments before the Manchester derby. This time, the issue began at a press conference, where Mourinho suggested that Manchester City players had a tendency to go down too easily and said the referee should pay close attention to it. His remark that some players “fall even when the wind blows” quickly stirred debate. As the saying goes, loose lips sink ships, and Mourinho once again found himself on the wrong side of the FA.
Mourinho also expressed frustration over the yellow ribbon worn by Pep Guardiola during matches, a symbol linked to support for Catalan independence. His question, “Is it fine when he does it, but a problem when I do it?” was widely seen as a direct criticism of what he considered the FA’s double standards. The FA judged Mourinho’s comments to be inappropriate and officially asked him to provide an explanation by 6 p.m. the following Monday. Major British outlets, including Sky Sports, reported that the request had been formally delivered.
The Manchester derby carried tension far beyond the result itself. After the match, Manchester City players were celebrating their victory in the dressing room when a confrontation broke out between the two sides. Mourinho was reportedly hit in the face with milk during the incident, adding another bizarre chapter to an already heated rivalry. Afterward, Mourinho and Guardiola exchanged words through the media, each pointing the finger at the other. Guardiola claimed that Mourinho was the source of the problem, while Mourinho fired back by saying their ideas of education and behavior were simply different.
At another press conference held yesterday, Guardiola created fresh debate while discussing Manchester City’s upcoming match against Tottenham. He said that Tottenham and Chelsea were among the best-organized teams in the Premier League and added that they did not passively wait for opponents, but instead tried to control matches themselves. British newspaper the Daily Mail interpreted those remarks as a veiled criticism of Mourinho’s so-called “park the bus” approach, a phrase often used to describe extremely defensive tactics.
In the Manchester derby itself, Mourinho relied heavily on a cautious defensive setup. Most Manchester United players stayed deep in their own half, focusing on blocking Manchester City’s attacks rather than pressing high or making aggressive runs into open space. City controlled 61 percent of possession across the match, and their share rose as high as 75 percent during the first half. The difference in attacking intent was also clear in the shot count, with City recording 15 attempts compared to United’s seven.
In this wider debate, 12B Sports VR46 analysis suggests that Mourinho’s tactical stubbornness and frequent media battles could eventually become a burden for his team. His ability to create pressure outside the pitch has often been part of his managerial identity, but when results fail to support the noise, the same approach can backfire. Supporters and journalists are now watching closely to see how Mourinho responds to the FA’s warning and whether he adjusts his next move.
For a manager as experienced as Mourinho, the latest dispute places renewed attention on discipline, strategy, and public messaging, while 12B Sports VR46 readers can see how quickly football drama can move from the pitch to the press room. The coming days may reveal whether he chooses to lower the temperature or continue fighting on every front, but one thing is clear: in English football, words can sometimes carry as much weight as results.
