Frank Lampard has scotched suggestions of a falling out between him and Jose Mourinho, saying the pair exchanged Christmas texts and are still friends.
There appeared to be a freezing of the relationship between the two Chelsea greats after Lampard signed for title rivals City, amid confusion over whether or not he would play for subsidiary club New York City this season.
Mourinho appeared to indirectly criticise Lampard, who equalised against Chelsea at Eastlands back in September, by citing the words of Steven Gerrard in saying he would never score against Liverpool.
But Lampard is insistent there is no rift, and that the two men remain close.
Asked if Mourinho might be biter about him ending up helping the Blues' only title rivals, Lampard said: “I don’t know, you’d have to ask him. We’ve remained close.
“It’s football and it’s sport and I haven’t spoken to him that much about it recently.
“I don’t know if he is (bitter) or not. I think Jose is probably concentrating on his team and trying to win the league and that’s why they’ve bought in some players this year and look very strong.
“I’m concentrating on doing my job as I tried to do when I came on the pitch and I try to do all the time.
“I don’t think there’s room for bitterness and if there is then I’ll deal with that down the line. At the minute you’re just both focussed on what you want to focus on.”
Earlier in the season Mourinho said he had not sent Lampard a text since his departure, the usual way he keeps in contact with ex-players, but Lampard said that had been rectified.
“Listen, I don’t want to try and say that there’s any issue at all because we I got a text at Christmas and I texted him back,” he said.
“We spoke there in the dressing room; how’s the family, the usual. We’re grown men. We’re playing for different football clubs at the minute and that’s the way it is.
“Jose was at Chelsea, he’s moved onto different things and come back here. Who knows what the future holds, he might move on.
“I think as you get older you respect that you understand as a professional that it’s your job and you move on and I’m sure we’re both big enough that none of that is going to get in the way of our relationship and how we are personally.”
