SERGE AURIER has blasted Jose Mourinho's former No2 Joao Sacramento as he opened up on his bitter Tottenham exit.
The Ivorian right-back, 29, quit Spurs last summer after four years in North London in a chaotic season which saw the Special One sacked.
Aurier is now at Villarreal where he claims he "feels loved and respected" as he prepares to face Liverpool in the Champions League semi-final.
But the former Paris Saint-Germain star has revealed he struggled at Tottenham, in no small part due to Mourinho's pit bull of a No2, Sacramento.
Aurier told The Telegraph: "Football is different compared to ten years ago.
“[Mourinho] is still a great coach, but there are things that have evolved.
READ MORE SPORT STORIES
TV info and team news as Man City take on Real Madrid in a mouth-watering clash
Free bets – Get £30 Sky Bet bonus when you stake £10 on Man City vs Real Madrid
"Sometimes players need more love and attention… I'm not speaking for Jose, I'm speaking for his assistant.
"Joao is a tough guy and he didn't have a good relationship with the dressing room, that's why everything deteriorated. There was a lack of good communication.”
On Sacramento taking on the role of Mourinho's No2, Aurier continued: "It was one of his first experiences in a first team and he lacked calm with the players.
"He needed to be more concerned about the person behind the player.
Most read in Football
APPY EVER AFTER 
Pogba 'leaves Man Utd WhatsApp group and tells team-mates he's off'
Man Utd ‘will sign THREE players this summer as Wan-Bissaka leads sale list’
PSG star Mauro Icardi’s wife Wanda goes braless in figure-hugging onesie
Arsenal 'believe they can sign Jesus' as ace refuses to commit to Man City
FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
"Sometimes when you don't play a lot of s*** goes through your head, and you need someone to calm you down and help you, to give you good vibes, not to send you negative messages.
"And I think it all started there."
But Aurier holds no ill feeling against Mourinho despite "wanting to kill him sometimes" and even appeared to take a swipe at Spurs for sacking him just days before the 2021 Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City.
The Villarreal right-back said: "One day we argued, but it was over a tactical issue… I wasn't happy with his decisions and I went to talk to his office.
"I know I could talk to him without any problems because he likes the player to be honest. The day after, the problem was solved.
“I love it because Mourinho listens to you, and then he tells you what he thinks.
"Sometimes you hate him and you want to kill him, but then you love him because his character is that of a born winner and I identify with him a lot. I have nothing against him.
"But we were not in a good mood and the club was not happy.
Read More on The Sun
Piers Morgan issues ‘trigger warning’ to ‘woke snowflakes’ on new TalkTV show
Countryfile’s Helen Skelton announces split from husband Richie Myler
"Imagine if we had won that final with him. Maybe they would have gone crazy for him to stay and they would have offered him a contract renewal just for short-term thinking after winning a title.
"And if the club really wanted to sack him, it would have been impossible to do that after winning the Carabao Cup.”
Source: Read Full Article