Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric revealed that former manager Jose Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo almost came to blows in the dressing room during a Copa del Rey game in 2013 which left the Portuguese forward on the verge of tears.
The Croatian wrote about this in his biography according to a report by Correire dello sport.
Mourinho and Ronaldo were together at Real Madrid for three years and enjoyed huge success, with ‘The Special One’ leading them to the La Liga title in 2011-’12 apart from winning the Copa del Rey and Supercopa de Espana.
Modric, who joined Real Madrid from Tottenham in 2012, opened up on how the Portuguese compatriots almost got into a fight during the game, forcing Real Madrid players to intervene before things got ugly.
Modric said that Real Madrid were leading 2-0 at half-time but Mourinho was angry at Ronaldo as he didn’t put pressure on his opponents.
“I was surprised by Mourinho’s reaction. We were winning 2-0 in the Copa del Rey,” Modric wrote in his biography titled My Game.
“Ronaldo did not chase the rivals on his throw-in and Jose was furious with Cristiano.”
Modric said the former Manchester United winger received a tongue lashing from Mourinho in the dressing room after an altercation on the pitch during the first half.
He wrote: “The two fought for a long time on the field. After returning to the locker room at half-time, I saw Ronaldo desperate, on the verge of tears. ‘He said, ‘I do my best and he continues to criticise me.’
“Mourinho came in and began to criticise the Portuguese for his responsibility during the game. They became so hot that only the intervention of the team-mates avoided a real fight between them.”
Mourinho parted ways with Real Madrid in 2013, returning back to the Premier League to coach former club Chelsea and moved on to Manchester United. He is currently the manager at Tottenham Hotspur.
