Of course they regret saying it. They gave the media a headline against their team. In team stuff you try not to give the other side bulletin board comment. Like Bengals calling Arrowhead Burrowhead. Because if you lose the other team will throw it in your face.
"We'll never see Day-Lewis and Kubrick, or Kurosawa and Eastwood, but we have seen Bale and Nolan, a cinematic dream pairing come to life!"