Real Madrid, Barcelona tensions under Mourinho revealed by La Liga referee

In an interview with Carrusel Deportivo, former referee Eduardo Iturralde Gonzales has revealed sensational details about former Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho and his rift with Barcelona's then-manager Pep Guardiola.

Gonzalez also details his relationship with the two illustrious managers and shed light on the heightened tensions between Real Madrid and Barcelona during a particularly volatile, and yet successful, period in Spanish football.

In an interview last month, the Basque referee had also revealed details about his experience with the El Clasico. Gonzalez also controversially claimed that over 90% of the referee in La Liga support Real Madrid over Barcelona.

What it's like to referee a Clasico? Some good stuff from Eduardo Iturralde Gonzalez with @dermotmcorrigan https://t.co/gUpySxalTz

— Samuel Marsden (@samuelmarsden) October 26, 2018

The La Liga official also went on to reveal that he shared a camaraderie with Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho and would often engage in conversations with him on the pitch.

"I had a very good relationship with Jose Mourinho, because he would set up his circus and his theater and then you had to differentiate."

Gonzalez officiated several heated Clasicos in 2010 and 2011 where tensions between Real Madrid and Barcelona often reached horrifying crescendos. Guardiola, contrary to most people's beliefs, was not the easiest to control, according to the official.

"Guardiola was much more difficult to control, but for all the referees, it was much more cryptic. When it came to protesting the assistants, it was much easier to control Mourinho."

Real Madrid, Barcelona tensions were at their peak under Mourinho, according to former referee

Real Madrid and Barcelona were often at loggerheads in El Clasicos

The relationship between Real Madrid and Barcelona reached its nadir in the 2010/11 season when Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola clashed in a heated war of words. The pack of cards fell in a heap when Barcelona thrashed Real Madrid by a margin of 5-0 in the famous 2010 El Clasico.

Xavi Hernandez and Pedro scored for Barcelona in the first half and David Villa brought his innate striker's instinct to the fore to add two goals to the scoreline minutes after the break.

🧵 #Messi threads the needle, @guaje7villa sews it up. #ElClásico pic.twitter.com/onOgZBl2IG

— FC Barcelona (from 🏠) (@FCBarcelona) May 10, 2020

A foul by Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos on Barcelona's Lionel Messi saw the first red card of the game, and controversy dominated the headlines as Ramos shoved his Spanish national teammates Xavi and Carles Puyol on the way to the dugout.

Eduardo Iturralde Gonzalez shed further light on these incidents and commented on the relationship between Real Madrid and Barcelona at that point.

"I would not call it bad vibes, I would call it tension. Many times, before games the players greet each other, hug each other, you always see it. In Mourinho's time, they did not look at each other."

Guardiola and Mourinho are on friendly terms now but that was not always the case

The 2010/11 season proved to be a highly successful campaign for Barcelona as they edged Real Madrid to the La Liga title and also won the UEFA Champions League. However, Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid recovered from the 5-0 thrashing to defeat Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final and give the Portuguese manager his first trophy on Spanish soil.

Mourinho's departure from Spain saw a considerable improvement in the relationship between Barcelona and Real Madrid and tensions have since cooled down between the two sides.

While the El Clasico continues to be a fixture of high quality, the sheer intensity that Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho brought to the rivalry may never be seen again.