By
Arinze Izik
Real Madrid coach José Mourinho faced the media at Ciudad Real Madrid on the eve of the LaLiga opener against Real Sociedad at the Bernabéu on Wednesday at 9:00pm CEST, broadcast on Orange TV and Movistar LaLiga.
The Portuguese stressed the importance of the first home game of the season.
“First home match. It’s one of 19 at home and one of 38 in the league. Every point matters,” Mourinho said. “The aim is to win, while respecting a side with identity and quality that will make it difficult for us.”
He urged the Bernabéu crowd to get behind the team, comparing it to the atmosphere he saw at Espanyol.
“What I want is for the players to show the same hunger, attitude, resilience and calm. If the fans see that mentality, it can make the Bernabéu even stronger.”
On Fitness and Squad Management
Mourinho pointed out that Espanyol had an advantage in Madrid’s opener because they had no World Cup players and had played more friendlies.
“The key case is Jude. When we needed a goal and the game was level, I couldn’t keep him on any longer,” he explained. “We have players who are further ahead physically, but we also have to manage minutes. I brought Cucurella on knowing he had about 30-35 minutes in him. It’s all based on data, but also on what the players tell us about how they feel.”
On Tchouaméni, he confirmed there had been no relapse. “He pushed himself at the World Cup and paid for it. You can suffer to finish a season, but not to start one. We agreed with him and the medical staff that he’ll come back at 100%. If that takes one more week, so be it.”
He also gave an update on Endrick, who is dealing with tendonitis. “It’s prevention before it becomes a bigger issue. I rate him a lot. Several clubs wanted him on loan or permanently, but I said no. I want to work with him.”
Return to the Bernabéu
Mourinho said he doesn’t want a personal reception, only support for the team.
“I don’t want the Bernabéu to welcome me in a special way. I want it to welcome the team. Last season ended badly and maybe that connection was strained. We need to reset. I’m capable of controlling my emotions. What matters is that the team feels different to how it did in the final months last year. Let’s go together.”
On Vini Jr. and Refereeing
The Madrid boss spoke at length about Vinícius Jr., saying he sees a difference in how opponents treat him, especially outside Spain.
“If you let opponents get away with it, they will keep going. It’s like kids testing limits. If they can bother Vini physically or verbally, they will. I don’t like it. A kick is aggression, whether it breaks bones or not. It should be a red.”
He added that while he’s working with Vini on emotional control, referees must also protect him.
Regarding the Espanyol game, Mourinho said the referee performed well overall. He accepted that a second yellow for an Espanyol player was not given, and that the red for the foul on Vinícius was missed.
“VAR didn’t do its job well there. But do I trust Spanish referees? Before every game, yes. I don’t believe any referee today is thinking about Negreira or old favors. I back their honesty.”
Squad and Tactics
Mourinho said his squad is essentially set, despite the transfer window still being open.
“In my head it’s closed. I’m very happy with the group. If someone leaves now I wouldn’t be happy. I want to keep this squad all season.”
On playing Vini Jr., Bellingham and Mbappé together: “If you ask me if I want two or all three, I want all three. What they give us outweighs any tactical imbalance. That’s a problem I’m happy to have.”
He also discussed Valverde’s role: “For me he’s a midfielder. But modern football blurs positions. A player can be more positional or mobile depending on the opponent. I don’t like labeling Tchouaméni as a 6 or Fede as an 8. It changes during the game.”
On the packed fixture list, Mourinho thanked LaLiga for postponing the first match for World Cup players. “Playing four games in 12 days is part of being a top club. If the data and the player say no, we won’t play them.”
