Sergio Ramos dismisses Jose Mourinho as 'just another coach' as mind games ramp up

The pair enjoyed success during the Portuguese's three-year stay in the Spanish capital before Mourinho left Madrid under a cloud following high-profile disagreements with a number of first team players including Ramos.

Zinedine Zidane has gone on to deliver three Champions League titles in four years but Spanish international Ramos, appearing to initially take a more diplomatic tone in the press conference ahead of the game in Skopje, attempted to play down talk that his current boss is better than his old one.

"My view is that when a team has a coach it changes, every coach is different because if his system, tactics, and personality," he said. "One coach is not necessarily better than another. They are just different. Zizou was very good at understanding our dressing room as a former player. Maybe that gives him an advantage.

"One can look at the picture and draw different conclusions. I believe both are great coaches. We are lucky to be living this historical moment with Zizou."

But when pushed further Ramos went on the offensive suggesting that Mourinho had very little impact on his career despite famously helping him switch from right back to centre back where he has become one of the world's best.

"I don't think that changed my career at all," he added. "Mourinho was just another coach I worked with in my football career and I have always learnt from others, from when I was a youngster at Sevilla.

"So I am very, very grateful but I don't think Mourinho has changed my life in football at all."