Real Madrid manager José Mourinho addressed the media ahead of the team’s upcoming fixture, describing the match as very difficult and expressing concern about it.
Shifting Focus to Domestic Duty
Looking ahead to the upcoming international break, Mourinho reiterated that his primary anxiety centers purely on Saturday’s domestic opponent rather than national team commitments, adding that he does not view international call-ups as a problem while trusting coaches to respect players, manage their minutes, and protect them from potential injuries. He pointed out the challenge of facing a well-prepared side that has had an entire week to train under a coach singularly focused on winning.
Mourinho Plans Squad Rotation for Upcoming League Match
Mourinho confirmed that squad changes are forthcoming following the team’s European outing against AEK Athens. While praising Éder Militão and Antonio Rüdiger for their strong performances in Greece, the manager indicated that Castello P. Konaté and Dean Huijsen are set to start the upcoming league match, utilizing squad rotation to manage player minutes effectively.
🚨 José Mourinho: "Dean Huijsen and Ibrahima Konaté will START tomorrow." pic.twitter.com/ISmmqLKXtk
On the status of Vinícius Júnior, Mourinho stressed that collective team objectives supersede individual management, noting that he would never intentionally harm the team to benefit a single player and will manage the forward upon his return to full availability while continuing to think ahead across a sequence of fixtures. The manager added that a top-level player retains the capacity to return to peak form despite temporary dips, while reiterating that the squad environment and peer support remain vital to performance, pointing out that if the forward’s outing in Athens belonged to any regular player it would be judged a good match, though everyone awaits the version of the player that eliminated him from the Champions League and exists as the one everyone anticipates.
Tactical Demands and Match Control
The fixture schedule also brings tactical considerations regarding squad depth and match management. Mourinho reflected on the team’s recent matches, contrasting a commanding 3-0 first-half lead against Santander with the demands of matches requiring comebacks. While noting that comebacks demonstrate team character, belief, and squad depth, he emphasized the need for greater uniformity and stronger starts from the opening whistle, noting that matches like the one in Santander—where they could have scored four or five before halftime—are preferable to staging comebacks that also reveal negative aspects requiring work.
Family and Close Teammates Should Decide Memorial Tributes
Regarding potential tributes across competitions following the passing of Jesús, Mourinho noted that meaningful memorials coordinated across leagues carry significant weight. He suggested that decisions regarding whether matches should proceed or be commemorated through tributes are best answered by the player’s family, friends, and close teammates who knew him best, stating that it is ideal to ask Jesús directly but, since that is impossible, only those who knew him deeply can say whether he would prefer no football or to be remembered with a nice tribute in every stadium.
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