In a press conference held before the upcoming match against Real Betis Balompié, José Mourinho, the head coach of Real Madrid, shared his thoughts on the performance of player Asencio. Mourinho praised Asencio for his professionalism and dedication but also expressed concerns regarding his recent mistakes.
Mourinho remarked, "I spoke to him when I arrived regarding things from the past. Since I arrived, I no longer speak about off-field situations. At Valdebebas, he is an exemplary professional; when he was well, nobody trained more or better than him. Now he is the first to arrive and the last to leave." However, he emphasized that being a Real Madrid player comes with responsibilities that extend beyond the pitch. "A Real Madrid player is a Real Madrid player 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 12 months a year. Everything you do outside still reflects on Real Madrid. It continues to damage the prestige of a club that is untouchable. I’m not happy, and everyone makes mistakes, but repeated mistakes are different," he stated.
Mourinho also mentioned that the club has initiated an investigation regarding Asencio's situation. "As long as the investigation is open, I see him as a Real Madrid player. He is injured and will remain so for a couple of weeks. That helps keep me out of this problem," he added, indicating that the ongoing investigation may provide some relief from the scrutiny surrounding the player.
During the press conference, Mourinho also touched upon the retirement of Lionel Messi from international duty, stating, "Talking about Messi is complicated. There are no words. He has been what we have all seen; he is one of those players you are going to miss. We’ll have to watch some MLS matches, which I don’t like very much. There are players you always miss. And we know what he means." This comment highlights the impact Messi has had on the sport and the emotional void his absence creates.
Furthermore, Mourinho discussed the importance of youth players coming up through the ranks at Real Madrid. He acknowledged the efforts of the academy and noted that many players have successfully transitioned to the first team. "Many work with me at some point, but even the ones who don’t come up, we pay a lot of attention to them. They have done a great job in recent years, and the result is that they have moved up to the first team," he explained. Mourinho expressed confidence in the potential of these young talents, emphasizing that opportunities will arise as the season progresses.
In addition, Mourinho spoke about Sergio Martínez, who has recently trained with the first team. "He has trained with the first team for two days. We gave our opinion on whether he could make it here. He has potential and a little experience in the top flight. He has to work, but the level of quality and intensity here is different," he said, indicating that Martínez is on the right path to making an impact.
As the match against Real Betis approaches, Mourinho's comments reflect both the challenges and the opportunities facing the team. With Asencio's situation under scrutiny and the potential of young players being highlighted, Real Madrid is preparing for a crucial encounter in their campaign.
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