Speaking directly to the general media for the first time since his appointment in his first pre-match press conference since returning to the club as Real Madrid prepare for their La Liga opener against Espanyol on Saturday, coach José Mourinho defined success this season, saying “there are many ways to look at it. The only way to be pragmatic is to focus on results. We can improve a lot on many levels, build up the structure, and there’s a lot that needs to change, but results are what count. We have three competitions plus a small one. Finishing without any trophies at Real Madrid is not a successful season.”
Mourinho on Espanyol“They’re a good team. Teams that have had the same coach for a long time are well-prepared, with established routines and dynamics. They play well and with ambition. I really liked their first game, and there they are, with three points, three goals scored, none conceded, and happy fans. We’re ready for whatever we’re going to face.”
Mourinho on how he feels“I’m fine. I’m calm. One more season. As you said, the squad faces the challenge of starting in different groups. There are players who’ve had 36 training sessions and 6 games, and others who’ve played just a few games and had five training sessions. I’ve been able to tailor the training for everyone: some players came in for individual sessions, and we joked that there was one player for every 10 people. I’m very happy with the situation. If you ask me if I’d like to have one more week, yes. But we’re tired of friendlies. We don’t love this job because of the friendlies. We want real matches. The players injured last season have been out for a long time, and I don’t expect them to be back in two or three weeks. The only player sitting out this match who wasn’t injured last season is Endrick. Tchouameni is fine. He has to train today, tomorrow, and Sunday to speed up his recovery. He arrived in a condition that doesn’t allow him to be ready for this match.”
Mourinho on pressure“I wouldn’t call it pressure; I’d call it adrenaline. It’s a positive thing. The day I don’t feel it, something’s not right. I don’t feel pressure, whether it’s for debuts or games. I have a lot of confidence in the work we’ve done. A lot of confidence in the players’ ambition, their mindset, and the passion they show me. It’s a tough game, but tomorrow when we travel, we’ll do so with the conviction that we’ll come back with the three points.”
Mourinho on Diomande saying he would die for him“Without taking it literally, it’s an expression I like. I’d prefer it if he’d say he’d die for the team, for Real Madrid. But I know what he means when he uses my name in reference to the team and the club. Words are easy. It’s harder to put them into action. Diomande’s words are no different from what I see in everyone else. I see them as committed, with a desire to do things right. The team is growing; it’s united. We’re not the perfect team, there’s no such thing. I don’t think I won’t have problems; they’ll come. But at its core, the team is strong. Diomande’s message applies to everyone.”
Mourinho on Valverde and Tchouameni“I’ve come here with a lot of information. I’ve been here for three years; I have my contacts, and so do you guys in the press. I’ve come to learn a lot of things—not just about the Tchouameni-Federico situation. I’ve decided to start from scratch—obviously from a privileged position. I haven’t needed to talk to Tchouameni. I’ve seen how things normally are. If you were to tell me that, without knowing about the problem, I could see how they interact, you couldn’t even imagine what happened last season. They told me I shouldn’t speak up, that I shouldn’t exert any influence in order to bring about peace. It’s not about peace; it’s about normalcy, friendship, and cooperation. It’s as if nothing had ever happened.”
Mourinho on young players“Tomorrow, Cestero, Ciria, and Rivas will be on the bench. We don’t have a very large roster. These guys have been out for a long time. I like to work with a maximum of 22 players. They’re filling these open spots and doing a great job with us. I want to motivate the kids and help them understand that the door is open. This week it’s these three’s turn, and many more will have their turn. There’s one thing I like to do that’s appreciated by the Fábrica. I think it can motivate the kids.”
Mourinho on captains“I’m happy with everyone. I think the captains are getting to know me, too. They have this ability to observe, analyze, and get to know me well. I don’t speak to make them know me through my words; I want them to know me through how they analyze me. The captains are playing defensively; they’re part of this process. The unity of the group, the empathy you can feel. Every morning at 8 a.m., we have a staff meeting. The staff who were here tell us that this group shows a different kind of empathy. The captains haven’t yet had to lead the team through a difficult time, but that time will come. We’ll see how we handle it when it does. The players are helping me avoid problems. The group is helping the captains go through this period of observation and calm.”
Mourinho on his analysis of the team“We need to avoid negotiating non-negotiable matters. Commitment must be present in every game. We’ll have to overcome moments of frustration, whether due to results or personal setbacks. I was talking to the players about how a moment of frustration will come for many because it will be the first time I have to make a choice, and one player will start while another goes to the bench and feels frustrated. They have to come to terms with it both individually and as a group. I can’t start a game with 15 players. Only 11 can play. I hope it’s a tough decision because they’re working as hard as they are. The day one of them lets his performance slip due to frustration, the decision will be easy for me. The team has to know how to get through moments of frustration.”
Mourinho on defensive work from attackers“It varies depending on the game and the opponent. We have to defend with all 11 players. What does that mean? It can mean many things. If it’s a team that pushes us back and puts us in trouble in our defensive third, we all have to defend. If we’re playing in the opponent’s half, we have to play aggressively and dominate. We have to work hard. One way is by pressing; another is by closing down spaces. Some players are going to have to really press, while others need to close down spaces. The idea of some players defending and others just waiting for the ball doesn’t work. There’s always been a great response from everyone. Zero problems.”
Mourinho on Vinícius’ new contract“It wasn’t a surprise. When they explained it to me, my first question was, ‘Does he want to stay or not?’ They told me he wants to stay, and I was relieved. I don’t want to speculate on whether he’s among the top 10. But he’s one of the best, and the best have to be here.”
Mourinho on missing Real Madrid“I’m not one to hold grudges or feel nostalgic. I left Portugal 20 years ago and only returned for a few months last year. It’s not something I miss much. I don’t think about what I’ve left behind. Every time Madrid won a title, the president would call me. I’ve always replied, ‘No, it has nothing to do with me.’ I’m glad my work left a positive legacy, but the titles belong to Carlo, Zidane, and the players, the people. Always with joy. Without missing anything, if you ask me if I feel anything for Roma, Inter, or Chelsea… Yes, I do feel something. I always want them to do well. I don’t mention Benfica because it’s something more than these others.”
Mourinho on Vini’s clashes with past coaches“I don’t know the reason, maybe he’s had some issues in the past. I don’t know. What I see is that he wants to win. He knows what I want, without a doubt. I think he’s happy, that he’s comfortable with how we prepare for games, and he’s wanted to win from day one. Before signing, every little conversation ended with ‘we’re going to improve, we’re going to win again, we’re going to be happy.’ Always on that basis.”
Mourinho on when this will be his team“This is my team now, for better or for worse. If we’re talking about the concept of the perfect team, that will never happen. I think we have to improve every day. I like teams that have the same coach for two or three years because you help them grow by building up knowledge and empathy. A team always has room for improvement. We have a long road ahead of us. The competition isn’t going to wait for us. We have a match where points are on the line. When I said the good times are yet to come, you thought I was talking about the players. I was referring to the matches. Here they are. We took the friendlies seriously; now that points are at stake, we have to go all out. Every point we win brings us closer to Cibeles.”
Mourinho on his first team“Mou’s starting 11… Let’s see who has the best connections. Let’s see who has the best connections. The players already know who’s playing. I’m not one to keep things hidden. They know. Maybe in a couple of hours your information will come out. I’m not going to say it. I don’t have an ideal starting lineup. If I did, I wouldn’t want one. I want to keep the door open to competition. There are a lot of games. There will be games every three days. Then there’s a three-week break, and when they come back, you don’t know how they’ll be. We know how we want to build plays, press, and stay compact. We know how to play against teams with different systems. We’re building up our tactical understanding. I don’t want to feel that way. If we’re talking about top-level players, Trent, Dumfries, Cucurella, Carreras… it’s not possible to think that one will play 50 games and another 10. It’s not possible. We have a lot of quality.”
Mourinho on midfield“I don’t think we have a shortage. A midfielder would be the icing on the cake. When you have Tchouameni, Bernardo, Arda… In time, he’ll be able to play in those positions. We don’t have a problem.”
Mourinho on combining Mbappé, Vinícius, Bellingham“They’re incredible players. They want to play with incredible players. Top players get frustrated when they play with players who aren’t top-tier. Tactical integration can be more difficult. Ancelotti has found the perfect fit for Vini, Deschamps for Kylian, and Tuchel for Jude. It’s harder to find the perfect fit for all three under Mourinho. They have to do it because they believe he can make it work. They’re high-caliber players. Their positions aren’t incompatible. We’re going to have a great season with them.”
Mourinho on his staff“It’s always difficult to join a new club. It pains me to say that this one won’t continue. It’s always difficult. I try to change as little as possible and bring in people who can help me instill a mindset and a way of working. I try to bring in people I have a lot of confidence in. We work with seven analysts. I brought in one. I’m very happy to have brought in just one. They just needed to connect with my way of working. In terms of sports science, data, effort monitoring, and personalized training, I’ve only brought in one person. The people who were already here have also grown and adapted to the way we work. Sami? At every club, I like to have someone from within the organization. During my first stint, it was Aitor, who is now a world champion. I thought about Real Madrid players from my time there who fit the profile I like. Xabi, a top-level coach; Álvaro, a top-level coach; Modric, who’s still playing; Granero, a businessman. I narrowed it down to two or three names. The first time I spoke with him, I got a good feeling. He told me, “If I have to go tomorrow, I’ll go tomorrow.” He understands the mindset. He has the relationship he needs to have with the players. He’s growing a lot on the field. The other guys who were with me at Benfica are people I trust. One specializes in offensive organization, another in defensive set pieces. Llopis and Nuno let me down. I don’t know Llopis as a person or his work. Maybe I did something I shouldn’t have done. This was a crucial part, and I wanted someone who could start working with me right away. This wasn’t like it was 10 years ago. A team consists of eleven players, and that’s why I decided to make a change. I thought Pintus and Silva would fit in very well. They have different skills, different areas of expertise, and different approaches. I’m very happy with how we’re working. Good staff, good players… If it doesn’t work out, it’s the coach’s fault.“
Mourinho on whether he knew he could return when he came with Benfica in the Champions League“For that game, I stayed in the garage. I watched it on the bus. Joking aside, I had no contact whatsoever. It was an important game for Real Madrid and Benfica. I had no contact with anyone. First, there were the rumors, and then the contact. Usually, there’s contact first, then someone speaks up, and rumors and news follow. Now it’s the other way around. Every year there’s always a rumor, and I didn’t pay it much mind. When Madrid contacted me, we’d already been eliminated—it was toward the end of the season. That’s when I was asked if I was interested or not. I think it was during Benfica’s last two games.”
Mourinho on advice 2013 Mourinho would give him today“Good question. Philosophical. A difficult question. Look… It’s just that… The Mourinho of today is the one who’s in a position to advise the Mourinho of 2013. The one from 2013 isn’t in that position. Do you advise your father, or does your father advise you? You always have to stay very calm. For me, it’s easier to stay calm now than it was five, 10, or 20 years ago. You might say that you still get red cards every season. I’m not talking about that kind of calm. If you multiply that by 24/7, you have a lot of hours of football. It’s during those hours that you have to stay calm. I’m better off now than when I arrived and when I left. That’s the idea. Is that it? That’s where we are.”
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