Messi insulted Real Madrid assistant coach, says Callejon

Real Madrid forward Jose Callejon confirmed Spanish media reports that Barcelona forward Lionel Messi called Madrid assistant Aitor Karanka "Mourinho's puppet" after the game.

Karanka regularly speaks to the media for coach Jose Mourinho, and is widely known for sticking to Mourinho's often abrasive strategy of launching barbs at opponents and referees. Mourinho went as far as to accuse UEFA referees of favoring Barcelona during the Champions League semifinals in 2011.

"I saw the thing with Karanka because I was behind him," Callejon said. "It is true that Messi called him 'Mourinho's puppet.'"

Callejon also alluded to a post-match run-in between Messi and Madrid defender Alvaro Arbeloa, but said he didn't want to comment on it.

Messi has not spoken since the match.

During the game, Messi remained calm as ever even when openly provoked by Madrid's players.

Arbeloa and midfielder Xabi Alonso both taunted Messi by patting him on the cheek after they had brushed while disputing the ball. Messi responded by shrugging his shoulder to the line judge with a perplexed look on his face.

Callejon courted further controversy by saying that the racist chants Barcelona defender Dani Alves had to endure during Wednesday's game at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium were "uncontrollable."

"It has happened to us and it happens in every country," Callejon, who is white, said Friday. "Real Madrid is one of the clubs that most suffers racist insults."

A day after the 1-1 draw in the Copa del Rey semifinals, Alves decried the segments of Madrid fans who abused him with monkey chants.

In January, AC Milan midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng led his teammates off the field during a friendly match in protest at racial abuse by opposing fans.

United States striker Jozy Altidore was the target of racist slurs at a game in the Netherlands earlier this week.

"It happened with Boateng in Italy. It is a worrisome issue and we hope that it can be stopped once and for all," Callejon said.

The two rivals will play at least twice more this season, once in the Spanish league and also in the return leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals.