Jose Mourinho says he didn’t watch Manchester United’s Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain because he is too familiar with the players.
United took on the Ligue 1 giants last Tuesday in their first European match since Mourinho was sacked and replaced by interim boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The Norwegian had enjoyed a run of 10 wins and a draw from his 11 matches in charge in all competitions, but tasted defeat for the first time as Old Trafford boss as his side went down 2-0 courtesy of strikes from Presnel Kimpembe and Kylian Mbappe.
That has left United facing a huge uphill task in the second leg in France next month, but Mourinho is already on that side of the English Channel.
The Portuguese was spotted talking in Lille’s Ligue 1 match at home to Montpellier on Sunday, and was asked what he thought of PSG’s win after the game.
“No, I didn’t watch it,” Mourinho told beIN SPORTS.”I watch Manchester United games from time to time, but I prefer to watch other leagues. The Premier League, I know every player in it.”
Mourinho was then asked if he’d like to coach in France one day, and gave a positive response.
“I can imagine myself as a coach in Ligue 1,” he said.“I am a man who has worked in four different countries, I like to know and learn other cultures. Working in a new championship would be a fantastic experience, he added.
“For now I’m calm, I try to live better with my family and friends and I work to get the right opportunity to go back to training.“Two to three months [without a job] is okay, afterwards it’s more difficult. I hope to have the opportunity to come back stronger.
“My project is my project as a person and coach, to improve myself, to be better, to think all days about my profession, which is also a passion. But this is not the time to talk with clubs.”