Barca refrain from making Mourinho complaint
Reuters - Monday 22 August 2011, 17:11
MADRID - European champions Barcelona have
refrained from making an official complaint against Real Madrid
coach Jose Mourinho for last week's eye poking incident and have
called for an easing of tensions with their arch-rivals.
Barca and Real players confronted each other on the pitch
during their explosive Spanish Super Cup second leg at the Nou
Camp where red cards were flashed and Mourinho jabbed Barca
assistant coach Tito Vilanova in the eye.
"We have decided not to [make an official complaint against
Mourinho]" Barca president Sandro Rosell on Monday told a
meeting of supporters groups, who had called for the club to
act.
"The public have give their opinion. They are very clear
that what this person did wasn't right. The [Spanish football]
federation will act if they want to.
"We have to act sensibly, reduce the levels of tension and
try not to stir it up or we'll end up killing each other in the
street. The problem isn't ours, it is theirs."
Last season's four 'clasicos' in under a month were
characterised by an increasingly poisonous atmosphere between
the sides, which reappeared in the second half of last
Wednesday's match.
Marcelo's lunging tackle on Barca newboy Cesc Fabregas
sparked a melee on the touchline and led to red cards being
shown to the Brazilian, his German team-mate Mesut Ozil and
Barca striker David Villa.
The most controversial incident, however, was when Mourinho
walked up behind Vilanova in the middle of the fracas and poked
him in the eye, before strolling away as the Barca man cuffed
him on the back of the head.
ANGRY EXCHANGES
Mourinho denied the incident had happened after the match
and his spokesman Eladio Parames told daily El Mundo: "Jose
doesn't ask for forgiveness.
"He is very clear that he is defending Madrid. All he is
interested in is his work and to make sure that the club where
he works wins as many titles as possible.
"But if his rivals work with the dark arts, he is absolutely
clear he will not remain impassive."
The angry exchanges between the Spanish internationals in
the two sides have also prompted speculation that the bad blood
between Real and Barca will disrupt the harmony of Spain's World
Cup-winning squad.
Two of Spain's senior figures, Real captain Iker Casillas
and Barca midfielder Xavi could be seen having a heated exchange
on the pitch after Wednesday's clashes.
"The situation in the national team is at its limit," Spain
and Malaga midfielder Santi Cazorla was quoted as telling
regional newspaper La Nueva Espana.
"As hard as they try to avoid it, these things influence the
relationships. We can't do anything except wait for them to sort
it out as quickly as possible, to reach an agreement, which is
what we all want.
"If they keep on having these problems it could start to
have an influence and in the end this could be prejudicial for
the group."