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On the 17th of August 2011, in a match between Barcelona and Real Madrid, a bizarre occurrence took place.
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At the time, José Mourinho was the manager of Real Madrid, and Tito Vilanova was the assistant coach of Barcelona. The match, which took place at the Camp Nou in Barcelona, was already heated due to the intense rivalry between the two clubs. However, it reached a boiling point when Mourinho poked Vilanova in the eye during a touchline altercation.
Let’s provide a bit of context. The rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona, often referred to as “El Clásico”, is one of the most intense and historic rivalries in the world of sports. It goes beyond football and carries political and cultural significance, as Real Madrid represents the Spanish capital, while Barcelona represents Catalonia. Matches between these 2 giants are known for their intensity, both on and off the pitch. The excellent derbies that are played by these 2 squads can always be wagered at the 1xBet website too
The 2011 Spanish Supercup featured 2 legs, with the 1st leg taking place at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, where Real Madrid secured a 2-2 draw with Barcelona. In the second leg at the Camp Nou, tensions were already running high as both teams sought to claim the title. Early in the match, Marcelo, a Real Madrid defender, made a harsh challenge on Barcelona’s Cesc Fàbregas, which led to a brawl on the pitch. Players from the 2 teams were involved in the scuffle, and several yellow cards were shown.
Tensions reach a boiling point
As the match progressed, tensions on the touchline escalated. In the 72nd minute, Marcelo and Barcelona’s David Villa were involved in another confrontation. This time, Mourinho, known for his confrontational coaching style, got involved in a physical altercation with Tito Vilanova. Feel free to win via mobile with the 1xBet platform, where all matches where José Mourinho is involved are also featured.
He was Barcelona’s assistant coach to Pep Guardiola at the time. Mourinho poked Vilanova in the eye during the exchange, which further inflamed the situation. Of course, Vilanova reacted by pushing the Portuguese manager away.
After the match, Mourinho, following his confrontational style, stated in a press conference that he didn’t know who ‘Pito’ Vilanova was. The word ‘Pito’ can mean “whistle” in Spanish, but also can make reference to the male private parts, so this was a sort of mockery aimed at the late Vilanova.
The incident caused outrage and condemnation from both sides of the rivalry. Real Madrid supporters defended Mourinho’s actions, arguing that tensions on the touchline were running high, and emotions got the best of everyone involved. Barcelona fans, on the other hand, saw Mourinho’s actions as unsportsmanlike and disrespectful.
The fallout from the incident included disciplinary action against Mourinho and Vilanova. Both coaches received bans and fines from the Spanish Football Federation. Mourinho was banned for 2 matches, while Vilanova received a 1-match ban. This incident added fuel to the already intense rivalry, creating further animosity between the 2 clubs and their fan bases. By the way, via the 1xBet mobile apps, you can also win by performing excellent wagers on the best managers in the entire world.
In purely footballing terms, Barcelona eventually won the match 3-2. The goalscorers of the contest were:
Andrés Iniesta;
Lionel Messi;
Cristiano Ronaldo;
and Karim Benzema.
It took 10 years for Mourinho to apologize for the incident. In 2021 the coach published a book where he stated that all the incident was his fault, and that Vilanova had nothing to do with it. Knowing the Portuguese coach, it is guaranteed that this will not be the last time that Mourinho will be involved in some sort of bizarre incident.
