The Royal Spanish Football Federation announced earlier today that Madrid coach Jose Mourinho is to be investigated after appearing to put a finger in the eye of Barcelona assistant Tito Vilanova, while suspensions were also announced for Madrid's Marcelo and Mesut Ozil, and Barcelona's David Villa.

That news was followed by an open letter to Madrid fans from Mourinho, in which he dismissed rumours that he would quit his job.

The club have now issued their own reaction to the announcement of an investigation and even hit out at Barca, despite the Catalan club refusing to file an official complaint and president Sandro Rosell expressing his desire to "forget this matter".

"Real Madrid CF has from the beginning opted to show prudence and responsibility so as not to feed the tense atmosphere created by such events," the statement said.

"Real Madrid CF wishes to express how surprised it is to see this investigation is being ordered five days after the match, curiously just a few hours after the President of FC Barcelona publicly demanded the Spanish Football Federation to take action.

"Real Madrid CF hopes said investigation absolutely clarifies what happened during and after the match. The club hopes it throws light onto the provocations, humiliations, insults and aggressions that our first team squad and coaching staff were subjected to both on the pitch and inside the tunnel leading to the dressing rooms. These things regrettably gave way to the incidents that took place.

"Real Madrid CF will continue to defend this entity's inherent values and will always strive for the greatest collaboration possible between clubs and institutions throughout the world."

Barcelona had said yesterday they would not be reporting Mourinho, but the RFEF intervened regardless.

"There are several reasons, the main one is that we need to stop this atmosphere of extreme tension," Rosell was quoted as saying by the Spanish press.

"There was a consensus among the technical staff and (sporting director Andoni) Zubizarreta not to report the actions of Mourinho.

"To report Mourinho could have affected the team's preparation (for Friday's UEFA Super Cup against Porto) and it was Tito Vilanova who asked us to forget the matter."

Rosell added: "The federation and the committees, if they want, must act off their own initiative. Barca will not ask them. What we have to do is forget this business."

The incident was sparked by Marcelo's dismissal for a cynical foul on Barcelona debutant Cesc Fabregas.

The flashpoint was the latest in a string of unsavoury incidents between the two clubs since Mourinho arrived in Madrid last summer.

The double Champions League winner was constantly outspoken about Barca last season, while his side were reduced to 10 men in all but one of their five meetings throughout the campaign.

The tensions came to a head during the first leg of the sides' Champions League semi-final, with Mourinho sent to the stands.

This afternoon, Mourinho insisted there was "no way" he would quit the club after reports emerged in Spain suggesting he could leave.

"Only those who don't know me can dream, make up or believe I may leave Real Madrid at this stage..." Mourinho wrote.

"I believe many people were surprised by the quality football showcased by Real Madrid during the pre-season and it would be surprising news to them if I left the club now. Impossible!

"I have a fantastic president who is very intelligent and with whom I have a great friendship. I also have a director general who works for the club 24 hours a day, so my motivation is enormous and my Madridismo is even greater than that of some pseudo-Madridistas...

"There is no way I'm leaving. No way!

"I also wish to apologise to Madridistas, and only to them, for my attitude in our last game. Some people are better adapted to the hypocrisy in football than I am, and they hide their faces and speak in whispers deep inside tunnels.

"I'm not learning to be a hypocrite, and I don't want to."