The former Real Madrid boss says the defender tried provoke a reaction in his team's favour
Jose Mourinho accused Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos of deliberately hitting Lionel Messi before half-time during Saturday's Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Barcelona claimed a 1-0 first-half lead thanks Ivan Rakitic's delicate finish in the 26th minute but Mourinho felt the match lacked the customary intensity of European football's fiercest rivalry.
Ramos caught Messi with a flailing arm, leaving the Barcelona superstar prone on the turf before he confronted his opponent and protested to the referee - Alberto Undiano Mallenco, who decided no action was necessary.
Speaking in his capacity as a pundit on beIN Sports, former Madrid boss Jose Mourinho suggested Ramos knew exactly what he was doing.
"I think in the first half, both teams when they had the ball, they did not hurt the opponent too much," he said.
"There was no intensity on the defensive actions, with everybody playing in a low-medium block.
"It was not the temperature of a derby, of a Clasico that can settle the title.
"I think Sergio Ramos' action probably is coming from a player that knows the game has to change.
"And probably he does it with the intention of creating a different temperature for the second half, because the game until then was really soft, in my opinion."
Ramos is no stranger to on-field controversy in high-profile matches and was the subject of prolonged scrutiny after his tangle with Mohamed Salah during last season's Champions League final left Liverpool's star forward with an injury shoulder before Madrid secured a 3-1 win.
UEFA has banned the 32-year-old for two Champions League games after it ruled he deliberately got himself booked during last month's first-leg win over Ajax in the last 16 in order to activate a yellow-card suspension.
Barcelona would go on to win the match 1-0, opening up a 12-point gap over third-place Madrid.
shray_srivastava
125
He must be secretly hoping for Madrid to loose, so that, he becomes the favourite to land the coaching job at Madrid.
MrBasil
75
this is why mou is never a good coach he wants his players to fight all the time on the pitch
Nels-7
67
"...he does it with the intention of creating a different temperature for the second half, because the game until then was really soft, in my opinion.", says Mourinho the pundit! No surprise such a 'thing' comes from Mourinho, who surely thought other pundits are monotonous and too soft and that he had to say something "aggressive" to heat the cold atmosphere out there! What a weird interpretation! That said, it's no surprise it comes from Mourinho! He proves he is of the same breed as the brute and aggressive defender. Such an action must be condemned and sanctioned.
RayzaDaBahia
54
Ramos is on the same WhatsApp group with John Cena, Rouman Reings nd AJ Styles
Princeenow
52
Ramos never plays a match without getting a card if he doesn't foul a player he will go for it deliberately.
Forcabarca07
50
Mourinho and Ramos are like the two sides of the same coin so they like to defend each other
Weoadmpt
50
It seems like Mourinho is looking for a job at Madrid. ๐๐๐คฃ Bourinho smh, what's next Madrid?
jonasobi
42
Mourinho campaigning to return to the coaching dugout of Real
Jpaul254
33
Mourinho looking for new job in Real Madrid๐๐๐๐ sweet talking Ramos now