Piqué is aggrieved that it is only now that Madrid are suffering that Mourinho is receiving a bad press.

“It’s funny because I remember that when Madrid were winning, Mou was permitted for everything,” Piqué told reporters.

“He came here and stuck his finger in the eye of Tito. How many matches was he banned for? Zero. Now he has dropped Iker, has threatened a journalist and Mourinho is criticised.

“Mourinho has always been like this, since arriving here. He was permitted for everything he did.

“I don’t think the Press should be as they are now, and the same goes for the Press in Barcelona as in Madrid.

“Barca don’t do everything well, but the front pages of Mundo Deportivo and Sport makes it look as if we do. Everything then changes when things go wrong. So I say the same for both sides, for Madrid and Barcelona.”