Frank Lampard can expect a warm embrace and no hard feelings, regardless of the result, when we visit the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this weekend and he takes on Jose Mourinho, his former Chelsea boss.
The pair worked together for over four seasons across two spells at Stamford Bridge, with multiple trophies won and Lampard crediting Mourinho with giving him the self-belief to become one of the best midfielders in the world.
They have faced each other as managerial adversaries once before, when Derby County won on penalties at Old Trafford to knock Manchester United out of the Carabao Cup last season, but this will be their first meeting in the Premier League.
‘I think our feelings will be forever,’ said Mourinho in his Spurs press conference, when asked about the reunion and his relationship with the Blues boss.
‘I’ll always be grateful to him for what he gave me as a player. Nothing is going to change that. I love the guy but I hope he loses on Sunday.’
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Mourinho claimed the layout of Spurs’ new stadium made it difficult for him to invite opposition managers to his office for a post-match drink but he insisted there will still be pleasantries shared between the pair.
‘Our stadium is built in the way that our office is completely on the inside of our private headquarters,’ he explained. ‘Until now, I didn’t invite any managers to go there and I don’t think I’ll do that with Frank.
‘But like I used to say, a big hug before the game and another after the game, that’s for sure, independent of results and who is happy.’