Xavi lifts lid on Barca-Real rift that plagues Spanish team

Those strains are unlikely to be assisted by Xavi’s latest assessment of Madrid’s recent title triumph as merely “efficient” and his questioning of Mourinho’s status.

“Mourinho won’t go down in football history. For me Guardiola is the best,and he has been during the four years he’s been in charge at Barca,because he’s revolutionised football,” The Telegraph quoted Xavi,as saying.

“Barca continue to be the reference point for football the world over. Barça has also been an example,Madrid not so much. They’ve only recognised that we were better when we won,” he added.

“We’ve always been respectful,but they haven’t been so gracious. It’s a personal feeling,” he said.

Xavi said Barcelona’s 5-0 La Liga hammering of Madrid in 2010,which he described as the best moment of the Guardiola era,damaged relationships in the Spain squad.

The playmaker added: “It caused problems with some of my friends. Puyol and Del Bosque were important in making sure everything settled down in the end.”