Jose Mourinho's press conference ahead of Thursday's Europa League match took an emotional turn when the Tottenham manager promised a North Macedonian journalist a picture for his late father.
After Mourinho had finished a 15-minute pre-match Zoom briefing, and with reporters waiting for midfielder Harry Winks to arrive, it became clear that journalist Igor Aleksandrovic had wanted to ask the Portuguese a question on behalf of his father.
On learning of the situation from Tottenham's press team, Mourinho promptly returned to the podium to take "two questions and one favour" from Aleksandrovic, who requested a picture with the Spurs boss for his father's grave.
Aleksandrovic had previously explained that his father had idolised Mourinho, and said the only time he had seen him cry was when the Portuguese's Chelsea side lost to Barcelona in 2009.
"On one occasion when [my father] was very sick, he told me if I ever have the opportunity to see you, to ask a picture with you because he always told me to be like you and raised me like you," Aleksandrovic told Mourinho.
"And he had massive respect, my father, for you and if you allow me a picture with you, I will frame it and put it on his eternal resting place. So if the match goes good for you and your team, would you allow me to do that?"
Mourinho said he would do the picture regardless of whether Spurs progress through the Europa League third qualifying round in North Macedonia tomorrow night.
"Thank you so much," he told Aleksandrovic. "The picture has nothing to do with the result. The picture is done, let's do it.
"If you can meet us before the game, or maybe in the hotel is easier. If it's after the game, it's after the game. It's nothing to do with results. My pleasure to do the picture with you.
"And my honour to your father and respect that he feels so strong about me. I don't deserve that."
