Silence provokes walk-out
Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho's decision not to speak to the media ahead of the 'Clasico' with Barcelona resulted in a walk-out by scores of journalists at the start of the pre-match press conference, which was held by assistant coach Aitor Karanka.
It was revealed earlier on Friday that Karanka, as has happened on occasions this season, would speak to the media in place of Mourinho prior to the table-topping clash between the two Spanish superpowers at the Bernabeu.
That did not go down well with the assembled journalists at Madrid's Valdebebas training ground and many took the decision to stage a walk-out as soon as Karanka arrived.
When Karanka did come out he was accompanied by Mourinho, but as soon as it was confirmed the Portuguese would not be answering any questions, it was estimated that more than 100 journalists and television crews from several different countries left the room.
Karanka then fielded questions from the journalists who stayed, but Mourinho remained silent.
Filippo Ricci, a journalist with Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport who was among those who left, explained: "What happened was Mourinho decided not to come to the press conference, the usual press conference before the Clasico, and to send out Aitor Karanka.
"The press didn't like this decision and decided to quit the press centre as he was coming in.
"The surprise was that Mourinho also came into the press centre, but when the press officer said Mourinho wasn't getting any questions, at that moment around half to three quarters of the press centre left."
Karanka played down the incident.
"Every time the coach talks everything is blown out of proportion," Karanka said.
"He (Mourinho) doesn't want his words blown out of proportion and he doesn't want to be the one who raises the temperature ahead of the match," the former Real player added. "It's just one way that we have of working."
Mourinho has frequently clashed with the media during his coaching career and has angered journalists in Spain since his arrival at the end of last season by cutting back on their access to players and training.
Asked what he thought about the protest by the Spanish media, Karanka, who has stood in for Mourinho at news conferences on around 10 previous occasions, said: "I am not going to take that much notice.
"I also represent the institution of Real Madrid and it is not the first time I have sat here.”
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