Jose Mourinho has never been shy of a line, and the former Manchester United manager found one waiting for him in Italy this week.
Speaking to Corriere dello Sport, Mourinho was asked about Manchester City's financial case — the alleged breaches of Premier League regulations covering 2009 to 2018 — and he chose laughter over fury.
"I'd rather have a bit of a laugh about it… Being in my 60s, I'll have to be lucky enough still to be here when the final verdict arrives."
He didn't stop there. "Now a ruling will come, then an appeal… I'll be 80!"
It's a fair point about the appeals process, which Mourinho believes could delay a final resolution for years.
For City fans, the wait has become background noise. The case concerns alleged breaches over a period stretching from 2009 to 2018.
Possible sanctions, if it ever gets that far, could include substantial fines, points deductions or — in the most extreme circumstances — expulsion from the competition. There has also been speculation about whether historical league titles could be affected, though retrospective title stripping or reassignment should not be treated as an automatic consequence of a guilty verdict.
Mourinho, of course, has his own history with City. His Manchester United side finished runners-up to Pep Guardiola's City in 2017/18, accumulating 81 points but finishing 19 behind their Manchester rivals.
Second place, 19 points back. He can laugh about that now.