Argentine star Angel Di Maria recalled his glory days at Real Madrid under the supervision of coach Jose Mourinho, stressing that the “Merengue” in that period was the only team capable of stopping the dominance of the “historic” Barcelona led by Pep Guardiola.
Speaking to the media, Di Maria said that their matches against Barcelona at the time were not just sporting encounters, but rather were fierce “physical and tactical battles.” He added that Mourinho instilled in the hearts of Real Madrid players a fighting spirit that helped them confront the Barcelona team, which was considered the strongest in the world with the presence of Messi, Xavi and Iniesta.
“Al Pepeta” spoke about the tense atmosphere in the “El Clásico” matches, pointing out that Real Madrid’s style was based on strength, speed, and outstanding teamwork. He believed that winning the Spanish League title in 2012 with 100 points was evidence of the strength of that team, which ended the Catalan team’s dominance in the tournaments.
Di Maria praised the important role played by Mourinho in developing his level, considering that the Portuguese coach was the one who trained him to be dedicated on the field and carry out defensive and offensive tasks with the same degree of mastery, which made him a comprehensive player in the largest European clubs for which he later played.
