Real Madrid

José Mourinho appeared before the media the day prior to the clash against Rayo Vallecano, the third the team faces in only eight days. The Real Madrid coach analysed the “difficult” derby that awaits them in Vallecas: “I was very happy with the team that played Man C. and I've been happy with the training sessions up to today. I think our prospects are good for tomorrow's match. It was complicated last year but we managed to win. I don't expect an easy match and we know that Vallecas puts up a good fight. The statements from Rayo players reveal their level of motivation, but my philosophy is that you have to play your best in every game if you want to win. The atmosphere will be charged and it's going to be a tough clash between two teams from the same city”.

The Portuguese coach praised his footballers' performance and motivation against Manchester City and made clear that this is the manner in which they should tackle tomorrow's match: “When my team wasn't playing well it was my fault and when they played well it was thanks to them. It's to their credit that they found the necessary physical and emotional motivation against Man C. and that's how we're going to continue. I am confident that they'll find the motivation to tackle the match against Rayo, just as they did in the game on Tuesday. We have been alternating between great matches with fantastic attitude and very high motivation and negative matches in which we haven't been up to standard. Until my team manages a series of consecutive matches playing at the top of it's game, it won't be as confident”.

Asked about Sergio Ramos's inclusion in the starting line-up Mourinho was emphatic: “The players don't know and if they don't know I can't tell the press. He didn't play the last match and both Pepe and Varane were fantastic; fast, playing with ease and very focused. They didn't have any influence in either of the two goals. The first came in a counter attack in which our wing backs were overtaken and we had lost the compact play in the centre that we had maintained until Essien went off. The second was from a penalty. Both players' performance was very positive”.

The Portuguese coach made further reference to Varane's performance last Tuesday: “Why isn't anyone talking about Varane when a week ago people were talking about his depression and frustration? At 19 he's been given the responsibility of playing a match of maximum importance and he's done a fantastic job. Now no one's talking about Varane. There's a tendency to talk about those that don't play. Every decision that I take is deliberated and you have your reasons and justifications for your options. It's curious that people always speak about those that don't play and not those that do”.

Regarding Casillas' decision not to celebrate the third goal scored against Man C. out of respect for Dawid, the Polish child who passed away last Tuesday who he met during the European Championship, he stated: “Everyone has their own reaction for entirely different reasons. There are important goals in which I don't even get up and on this occasion I reacted as I did. What's important is to score, win and achieve the common objective. Everyone was equally happy upon winning the match”.

In reference to the declarations of Rayo coach Paco Jémez, assuring that he will substitute his usual three player defence with one of four players, Mourinho said: “Coaches have the right to play as they wish and to propose whatever they like. For this reason they're the coaches and they can go out with the players that they believe are the most appropriate. That's how I see it and I respect him”.

Lastly, regarding the support Real Madrid will have in the Vallecas stands, he stated: “It won't be a full house and there will be 5,000 seats unsold. This season there are a number of cultural factors in play as the team isn't followed in its away matches, as well as economic factors related to the serious economic crisis. For that reason I'd rather not speak about this situation”.