Barcelona cult figure ‘The Observer’ reveals all about Jose Mourinho’s eye poke on Tito Vilanova

Francesc Satorra has now retired, leaving him free to tell all about the infamous match in 2011 where emotions spilled over

It became one of the most infamous scenes in Spanish football for a decade, defining the height of one of the most bitter periods between Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Jose Mourinho poked his counterpart Tito Vilanova in the eye as emotions spilled over.

The man pictured between the two managers at the time in 2011 became known as ‘The Observer’ and finally, eight years on, Francesc Satorra has retired, leaving him free to tell all.

Satorra, in charge of matchday logistics, insists it was “one of the worst brawls” he has ever seen at the Camp Nou.

“The Tito and Mourinho incident was one of the worst brawls I’ve seen at Camp Nou,” Satorra revealed on RAC1. “It was at the end of the game. I came out and I found Mourinho going to greet Tito -- but then he poked him in the eye.”

After the image went viral, with Satorra calmly observing in the background, he became a cult hero, with fans keen for a picture and merchandise sold with his face printed.

“I couldn’t believe it for a few seconds, then Tito pushed his arm away,” he added. “That image appeared all over the world.

“They told me it was a trending topic; I didn’t know what it meant at the time.

Satorra watches on as Mourinho pokes Vilanova in the eye

“From that point on they called me ‘The Observer,’ now that’s something that forms part of my image. Since that day, people have wanted to take photographs with me.

“They made shirts with my picture on. A lot of players have wanted to take photos with me, too.”