Peak Guardiola v peak Mourinho featured 10 of Spain’s World Cup-winning XI, but Messi’s passing took the breath away
The humiliation was too much to bear.
Cristiano Ronaldo pushed
Pep Guardiola. José Mourinho looked bewildered on the bench. And Sergio Ramos’s brutal, vengeful
Hack left
Spain teammates at each other’s throats four months after they won the
World Cup together. Pain was etched across Lionel Messi’s face but it was
Real Madrid who had been brought to their knees.
Madrid had arrived at Camp Nou in November 2010 top of La Liga with Mourinho’s reputation – and ego – at its peak. Fresh from a stunning treble with Internazionale that included a
Champions League semi-final humbling of
Barcelona, el traductor swaggered back to the club where he’d translated for Bobby Robson unbeaten in the league since joining their greatest rivals. The master tactician even shed his caution, picking a front four of Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Mesut Özil and Ángel Di María. As Sid Lowe wrote, Madrid “broke rapidly and with murderous intent”. But Barça were almost flawless, and they had Messi.