'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Ahead of yet another El Clasico on Saturday, former Real Madrid midfielder Esteban Granero talked about the integral role Jose Mourinho played in toppling Barcelona from their pedestal in the 2011/12 season.
In a potential league-determining fixture, Real Madrid will host arch-rivals Barcelona on Saturday in a highly-anticipated clash. Both sides have struggled this season but have recovered brilliantly and will be looking to knock Atletico Madrid off the top spot in the La Liga.
Granero, who played for Real Madrid between 2009 and 2012, spoke to Goal about the weight of the famous El Clasico games during Jose Mourinho's time as the Galacticos boss.
“It was probably the biggest fight in football since Wenger’s Arsenal and Fergie’s Manchester United. It was a huge fight. We had different plans. We both had great players, probably the best players in the world at that time,” former Madrid midfielder Esteban Granero told Goal.
“We had different identities, but we were two clubs who were made for winning and only one could win. It was like (Anatoly) Karpov and (Gary) Kasparov battling to be the world champion in chess. It was a huge battle. Of course, it was very stressful but also very fun," explained Granero.
Real Madrid won the La Liga in 2011/12 under Jose Mourinho, ending Barcelona's run of three straight La Liga titles between 2008 and 2011. In a significant meeting between the two sides in April of 2012, Real Madrid secured a hardly contested 2-1 victory over Barcelona at the Camp Nou to strengthen their hold on the La Liga title with only four games to go.
Goals from Sami Khedira and Cristiano Ronaldo on either side of an Alexis Sanchez goal for Barcelona secured the victory for Jose Mourinho's men.
Granero, who came on as a substitute in the encounter, praised Barcelona's quality but also stated that Real Madrid deserved all the plaudits for beating one of the best teams in the world.
“They (Barcelona) were amazing. That’s why we got all the credit, because we were the only ones who were able to beat them across a full championship. We won at Camp Nou and we managed to get 100 points,” recalls Granero.
“They were probably one of the best teams ever. These players coming from the academy and playing this beautiful football, with the best-ever Messi doing what he wanted. It was good to see and it was good to play against but we were able to fight against them and win," added Granero.
Mourinho made Real Madrid players believe they could compete with Barcelona
Mourinho was appointed Real Madrid manager in 2010 and was tasked with ending Barcelona's dominance of Spanish football and the Portuguese did just that.
Granero, who returned to the club a year before Mourinho's appointment, was mainly used as a squad player during the Portuguese's spell. However, he has still gone on to call Mourinho the 'best manager' he has played under.
Granero praised Mourinho's tactical prowess and also spoke about the manager's impact. According to the midfielder, aside from the on-field expertise, the highly-decorated Portuguese manager also instilled an important mindset in his players.
“I spent two full years with him at Real Madrid and, to me, he’s the best manager I ever had, from every point of view. There was the tactical point of view, of course, but also his mentality and his relationship with the players, how honest he is. Everything put together, in a situation where we, as Real Madrid, were one step behind Barcelona," said Granero.
“In the first year, we won the Copa del Rey against them, and in the second year, we won the league. We made the semi-finals of the Champions League but lost on penalties to Bayern Munich. It was the best achievement in my football career and it was because of him.”
