Jose Mourinho names biggest rivalry of his career and the huge fixture that didn't live up to the hype

Jose Mourinho has named the biggest rivalry of his storied career, while adding that one fixture in particular did not live up to the hype.

Mourinho was recently sacked by Roma after a two-and-a-half year stint in the Italian capital.

It was the ninth club he has managed across across four different countries, with Mourinho involved of some of the most intense rivalries in world football.

The 61-year-old has managed three different sides in England in Chelsea, Manchester United and Spurs but believes nothing compares to the intensity that Real Madrid and Barcelona's battle brings.

Mourinho spent three seasons in charge of Los Blancos, winning one La Liga, one Copa Del Rey and one Spanish Super Cup.

He went head-to-head with Pep Guardiola in multiple competitions and says "the world stopped" whenever they locked horns.

Image: Getty

"England I believe is with more discipline but the rivalries are of course very strong," he said on Rio Ferdinand presents FIVE.

"In Latin countries, you can feel more the emotion of it - even on the negative side and with some aggression and violence before and after matches.

"I believe England is a much more structured nowadays, without this level of problems.

"I would say my times at Real Madrid, the three years were years of a huge rivalry with Barcelona.

"It was not just the cultural and historical rivalry, but also the moment. I don't want to say the best players in the world, because of course England had incredible players but maybe in that that moment there [we had] the best Cristiano [Ronaldo], the best [Lionel] Messi, the best [Karim] Benzema, the best [Gonzalo] Higuain, the best [Andres] Iniesta, the best [Angel Di Maria] - everything was there.

"We had Barcelona, the best team in the world and Real Madrid trying to change that perspective.

"In the same season, league matches, Super Cup matches, cup finals, Champions League quarter-finals.

"I felt in that period the world stopped for Barca-Real. One season Barcelona wins it then Real Madrid wins it, it was beautiful."

Image: Getty

Mourinho then touched on other rivalries he has been attached to, making a startling admission that he found the Derby della Madonnina featuring both Milan clubs, to be "nice" and friendly".

Instead, he claims there is more animosity when it came to Inter Milan and Juventus.

He continued: "Inter-Juve, more than Inter-Milan. The first derby I played, Inter against Milan, I remember clearly.

"I was in the bus and there were people together, with Milan scarves and Inter scarves. Really nice, really friendly.

"I didn't feel it as a big, big derby. When it is Inter-Juve is when you feel that something is not going historically well between them."

Topics: Jose Mourinho, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Serie A

Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and wrestling. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the field - including the first UK interview with The Hardy Boyz after their return to WWE. He has never sported a pair of Lonsdale Slip-ons, contrary to reports.

@joshlawless_