Enric Masip has hit back at Real Madrid and Jose Mourinho ahead of Sunday’s eagerly-anticipated match between the two great rivals at Camp Nou
.Mourinho only returned to Madrid in the summer but has regularly brought up the Negreira Case since rejoining the club as well as making a habit of haranguing referees.
Masip – who works as an advisor to Joan Laporta – has been quick to respond to Mourinho’s recent comments about noticing “strange things” happening in the past around Barcelona.
“Do you think
anyone can question that Guardiola’s Barça, which was winning titles, needed any help? It’s ridiculous, laughable,”
“He (Mourinho), who was there, says he saw strange things and that he already noticed things. Of course you noticed. You noticed that it was a team that was running all over you, that played better football than you, and that beat you fair and square. That’s what you noticed.
“When someone says they see strange things… strange things is like poking a finger at a coach. When things aren’t going your way, you should improve and not spend your time attacking others.”
Masip also spoke about Arda Guler not receiving a red card despite appearing to elbow Peque in Madrid’s La Liga encounter against Sevilla.
“Didn’t anyone see the elbow? It also happened with a goal by Lewandowski or Lamine at the Bernabéu, where, curiously, that camera wasn’t working. And it was the only angle where it was clear the ball had crossed the line,” he added.
“And we didn’t make a fuss or spend all day crying about it. It’s a mistake, and you have to accept it. Interestingly, that always seems to go the same way.
“The images of Güler weren’t clear, but it’s an elbow, that’s it, period. An elbow is a red card. The next day they don’t talk about it… but if there’s an incident in Seville, the whole machine kicks into gear to talk about that situation.“
Mourinho’s complaints have already started ahead of the game. Speaking after his team’s midweek win over RB Leipzig, the Real Madrid coach moaned about his team having “24 hours less rest” than Barcelona.
