Former Real Madrid Star Angel Di Maria Reveals Jose Mourinho’s Extreme Tactics To Beat Guardiola’s Barcelona
Former Real Madrid winger Angel Di Maria has revealed the extreme strategies Jose Mourinho took to give his side an upper hand over Pep Guardiola's famous Barcelona team.
Guardiola's Barcelona was the dominant force in Spanish football when Mourinho took charge of Los Blancos back in 2010. Boasting superstars like Xavi, Iniesta, Carles Puyol, Lionel Messi, and more, Barca were arguably the best team in the world.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, were a project under construction as Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Di Maria, Mesut Ozil, Kaka, and more were still new in the team. Mourinho, hence, formulated an aggressive strategy to stop Barcelona from playing their Tiki-Taka style football.
Reflecting on that, Di Maria told Clank:
The only way to beat that Barcelona was by hitting, putting in and running more than them. And that somehow led to madness on the field. At times I was afraid that they would injure Lionel Messi. I was more concerned about nothing happening to him than anything else.
- Angel Di Maria
Pure magic from Angel di Maria, Real Madrid period.
— Dribbling Skills Out Of Context (@DribblingOOC) November 13, 2024
✨✨pic.twitter.com/LU4BD7GE1L
Angel Di Maria recalls famous Real Madrid vs Barcelona Copa Del Rey final in 2010-11
Jose Mourinho lost his first El Clasico 5-0 as a Real Madrid manager. His first notable success came in the 2010-11 Copa Del Rey final, where Los Blancos won 1-0, courtesy of an exquisite extra-time header from the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo. Notably, this was the first time in his career Ronaldo played as a number 9.
Real Madrid, though, had to get physical during that match as well, as Di Maria recalls. Reminiscing an encounter where he had to bring down compatriot Lionel Messi, Di Maria said:
The game in Mestalla was very hard, that final was kick and kick. At one point I had to kick Leo, who was going against us.
- Angel Di Maria
Di Maria played an important role in that game as he provided the cross for Ronaldo's goal. The match was pivotal in many aspects, starting a power shift in Spanish football. Real Madrid went on to win the La Liga the very next season.
#OJOALDATO - El Barcelona no perdía una prórroga en la Copa del Rey desde la final de 2011 (0-1 contra el Real Madrid, gol de Cristiano Ronaldo en el minuto 103). pic.twitter.com/YHu95358rO
— MisterChip (Alexis) (@2010MisterChip) January 20, 2022
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