Mourinho: "I’m very happy with everyone"

José Mourinho appeared in the press room at the Bernabéu and analyzed the victory against Málaga on Matchday 3 of La Liga: "Bellingham is very demanding with himself and with others. This is something I like very much. I agreed with him that I didn’t want to see Jude defending almost like a second left-back, which I’ve seen him do many times. In the game I won last year with Benfica in the Group Stage, we exploited this situation a lot, where he had to leave the center to defend on the left. We’ve organized the team differently, where he knows perfectly what to do and feels very comfortable. He likes it when everyone contributes."

"I’m very happy with everyone because everyone is contributing. But it’s true that in the last 20 minutes, we lost a bit—not hunger, but when you’re winning 3-0, there can be a tendency to lose a bit of order and relax slightly. We lost a bit of that organization that allows us to press, to bite, and to recover high balls without dropping deep. This is gradually becoming a characteristic of this team, but it’s also normal that we don’t yet have the energy or mindset to do it for 90 minutes. It’s something that has to progress over time."

Huijsen
“I don’t want to compare with last year, nor do I know very well the dynamics and what I found at the start of preseason playing the first four friendlies, two in Valdebebas and two others in Austria and Budapest. For me, a center-back needs to have quality on the ball, confidence to build from the back, the ability to make passes between the lines that only midfielders can, but the most important thing is their decisiveness, their security, the ability to win duels, and give the team confidence that we have two men back there. He has evolved a lot in a very short time. I need to watch the match better at home, but I have the feeling that he missed one pass between the lines and then dominated in duels and coverages. I like center-backs who defend well, and if they can also look good and be good on the ball, that’s perfect. But first, they need to defend, and he’s growing in this aspect. I’ve seen good progress in his three league matches. His partner at the back also helps, and Konaté and Rüdiger are helpful.”

Is Bellingham a candidate for the Ballon d’Or?
“I’ve said that at Madrid, there’s more than one candidate. Obviously, there’s one who has made history for eternity, in my opinion. I don’t see anyone now or in the next World Cup, or even eight years from now, breaking a record like this. I think it will still be him increasing that number of goals, which seems almost unbeatable. Jude, as a midfielder, is absolutely incredible. You go in one direction, and I have to go in another. That other direction is my team, my players. Today, Camavinga, a boy who isn’t very loved, played a great match. I’m very happy with his response. Fede is Fede, Bernardo is Bernardo. A lot of committed people. And now we have a very difficult match in Seville against Betis. We have to give it our all.”

Did you emphasize the connection between Bellingham, Vini Jr., and Mbappé?
"I said at the beginning that very good players want to play together and with people who have the same quality, the same speed of thought, and decision-making. They must always be compatible, and when I hadn’t yet arrived in Madrid, there was talk that Mou didn’t want one or the other, or that the three were impossible. I always said I wanted the best players, always, always. You can see that there is empathy and collective work among them. In Arda’s last goal, Vini didn’t want to score and passed the ball to his teammate. People embrace, celebrate together, and work together. At the moment, I don’t see any problems with them. The only thing I see is that they’re all excellent.”

Has this team regained its happiness?
“Yes, but it’s a difficult mission, and it’s not a one-month mission but a season-long one. I always tell the players that the frustration of those who don’t play is something that’s more in the hands of the players than in my own hands. I can give signs that I trust everyone and that we need everyone, but in the end, moments of frustration will always come. It’s up to them to manage those moments. Today, Trent played, and Dumfries was on the bench. Cucurella played, and Carreras was on the bench. It’s a squad with a lot of quality.”

Defensive work
“Last year, I didn’t watch much of Madrid. I watched a lot in the month when we played three matches with Benfica, but before that, I watched a match when I could, when it suited me. I haven’t followed the entire process and can’t compare it to last year. The only thing I can say is that the problem will come. The defeat will come. Last year with Benfica, it never came; we never lost, but we ended up third. If we have to lose one or two matches and win the championship, I’d sign for that now. The negative period and an injury to an important player will come. Your criticisms will come, the fans’ negative reactions will come, and at that moment, we have to be very balanced and not let a negative moment impact the entire season. That’s when you have to be the team we’re building, which has to be the salvation in those moments.”

Diomande
“He has to take it step by step. He has played 20, 15, or 30 minutes in the three matches. He works well and hard, is humble, and wants to learn and work. He listens to me and his teammates. He will grow. I can’t look at what we paid but at the young player with great potential. He played a high-level season in the Bundesliga with Leipzig. Calm down. Normally, when such a big number is mentioned, it’s about someone who explodes onto the scene. That’s not the case here. He’s too young, but he has incredible potential. Take it easy, calm down.”

 

Disclaimer: Translation generated by artificial intelligence. It may contain inaccuracies.