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Benfica coach Jorge Jesus resumes war-of-words with Tim Sherwood: He has 'zero idea tactically'

Jesus, linked with the Manchester City job, clashed with Sherwood last season

Samuel Stevens
Wednesday 15 April 2015 16:01 BST
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(Getty)

Benfica head coach Jorge Jesus has launched a stunning attack on Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood after their bust-up in the Europa League during his spell in charge of Tottenham Hotspur.

Jesus, who has been linked with the job at Manchester City, clashed with Sherwood during the round-of-16 meeting between the two sides last season.

Now Villa boss, the 46-year-old responded to the 3-1 defeat at White Hart Lane by saying: "I’ve got respect for the football club and I’ve got respect for his players. I have got no respect for the man."

The controversial Benfica coach refused to elaborate on what was said between the pair, until a recent interview with FourFourTwo.

Tim Sherwood won 1-0 on his return to White Hart Lane last weekend

Speaking to the monthly football magazine, Jesus revealed that his close friendship with Sherwood's predecessor André Villas-Boas was at the heart of the dispute.

He said: "I told André that if we beat Tottenham I would give Sherwood a mauling in the press conference.

"I would have said that Tottenham were much better under André and now they had zero idea tactically.

"I had this in my mind during the game and I stepped into his zone by accident."

Jesus then accused the Villa boss, who has transformed the fortunes of the Midlands club this season, of disrespect.

"He looked me up and down in that English way as if to say ‘Portugueezer, your place is there: stay there, little guy’.

The pair clashed during Tottenham's Europa League defeat to Benfica last season
The pair clashed during Tottenham's Europa League defeat to Benfica last season (Getty)

"I understood that look and he then stepped into my zone. That’s when I told him to go away, saying ‘back, back, back’. But he stayed put.

"That stayed in my head, and when we scored, I’m not sure why, it was instinctive, I did that little dance as if to say to him ‘you’re taking a hiding and don’t even realise how’.

"This happened at 1-0 but then I remembered there was still a long way to go. I said to myself, ‘Shut it, this could still turn around’. When we made it 3-1 I said to him ‘My name is Jorge. One, two, three’.

"He went ballistic – ‘F you’ to which I responded ‘F you, f*** the b**** who gave birth to you’. I let it all out and the referee was there trying to separate us. But I was winning, so I was fine."

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