Aitor Karanka, former assistant coach to Portuguese manager José Mourinho at Real Madrid, has revealed details of one of the most intense confrontations between Mourinho and star player Cristiano Ronaldo during their time together at the club.
Speaking on the El Cafelito program, Karanka recalled an incident that took place during a Copa del Rey match against Valencia in January 2013. He said Mourinho publicly reprimanded Ronaldo in the dressing room over an issue, prompting an emotional reaction from the player, who responded in tears, saying he was one of Mourinho’s biggest supporters in the squad and questioning why he was being treated that way: “I’m the one who supported you so much.”
Karanka noted that the incident shocked the rest of the players in the dressing room, who were visibly affected by the scene, which highlighted the intense pressure on the relationship between the coach and his star player.
He went on to liken their relationship to that of a father and son, suggesting that Mourinho may have acted deliberately to provoke a specific response from Ronaldo. “When I criticize you in front of everyone, it’s because you’re the person I trust the most,” Karanka explained.
Karanka also stressed that all decisions taken by Mourinho, with the involvement of the coaching staff, were always made in the interest of the team as a whole rather than any individual.
