"It was in 2010 when Mourinho joined Real Madrid" - Cesc Fabregas opens up on friction between Iker Casillas and Barcelona icon Xavi

Former Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas opened up on the friction between former Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas and Catalan icon Xavi. He detailed the shifting of the mentality of Los Blancos' squad after Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho's arrival and explained former captain Sergio Ramos' role in defusing the situation.

Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents FIVE YouTube channel, the 37-year-old Spaniard outlined the change in Real Madrid's mentality, after Mourinho's arrival. He explained:

“As a leader, he [Ramos] was very important. It’s difficult to explain, but the confidence I had being on that pitch with all the players was incredible. There was a moment, I think it was in 2010 when Jose Mourinho joined Real Madrid."

"I think they [Real Madrid] players felt Barcelona were really strong in that moment. So they were playing with three in midfield, tight at the back and on the counter using Cristiano Ronaldo, Ozil and Benzema."

Fabregas later explained the tensions that rose between Casillas and Xavi, and then Carles Puyol and Xabi Alonso as well. He explained that the rifts had to be solved before Spain's 2010 FIFA World Cup campaign, which ended up being a successful one.

The Spaniard recalled:

“They were a team that was very aggressive. They didn’t succeed [in dethroning Barcelona], but sometimes they stopped us from playing. There was this kind of friction that started between Casillas and Xavi for example. Then Puyol and Xabi Alonso. We had to intervene at some point because this was [standing in the way] of us winning the World Cup."

"There were so many players from Madrid and Barcelona [in the national team], but at the end of the day, we knew that the success depended upon whether we have a good relationship with each other or no. Then we fixed it and Sergio [Ramos] played a big role in it and finally they managed to fix it," Fabregas concluded.

"They teach you to win" - Cesc Fabregas compares the academies of Barcelona and Real Madrid

The former Spain midfielder compared the quality of talent arising from Barcelona's famed La Masia and Real Madrid's renowned Fabrica academies. He claimed that while at Madrid players were taught the different techniques to win, at Barca, they were more focused on systems and tactics.

Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand presents FIVE YouTube channel, Fabregas said:

"This [La Masia focusing too much on systems and tactics] could be a positive thing or sometimes even negative. If you don’t make it to Barcelona’s first team and then you go to a different club, you may face problems."

"In Madrid, it’s the opposite. They teach you to win, but in different ways. So a lot of players from the Madrid academy end up leaving [the club] and are comfortable playing around Europe. Barcelona [youth players] struggle a bit more [in that sense], but the ones that make it to the first team, they are top [class].”

Fabregas made 151 appearances across competitions for the Blaugrana, scoring 42 goals and providing 50 assists in the process.