Mourinho: Problems Will Arise, This is the Case for Endrick and Tchouaméni

Jose Mourinho, the head coach of Real Madrid, spoke about several important issues ahead of the match against Malaga, touching on how he manages his attacking stars, as well as the situations of Endrick and Tchouaméni regarding their return, and his concerns about the international break. He also praised Carlo Ancelotti and discussed the significance of the starting lineup.

The coach stated that he grants his attacking players complete freedom on the pitch. Mourinho said: "When you have players of incredible quality, they make the coach look like a genius. They do things that go beyond daily work; we focus on both defense and attack. Today, the 45 minutes of training were dedicated to offensive organization. We work on tactical drawings and movements. And when the moment of difficulty arrives, they are the ones who decide matches. We must give them space for their creativity and their ability to make decisions. At the same time, there must be a system and organization. We are developing in this area."

Carlo Ancelotti discussed Tchouaméni's condition: "Endrick is the closest to returning. I don't want to risk him against Betis, and I'm telling you this honestly. He may be ready for the Betis match or the first Champions League game. The other cases are more complicated; regarding Tchouaméni, we need to manage emotions. I don't want him to come in and then go out, then come in and go out again. I don't want to start the season in August in such a situation. I hope Tchouaméni is in good shape, and I prefer to wait a little longer."

The Portuguese coach addressed the impact of the international break on Real Madrid, stating: "National team matches worry me. It's a long period. The players who go with their national teams to play concern me less than those who are called up but do not participate. Those worry me a lot. My relationship with Carlo Ancelotti keeps me informed about the situation, and we will exchange data. With Carlo, there will be no problem. However, with others whom I do not have that trust with, having players away from the club for three weeks is very complicated."

He stressed: "We will trust in the professionalism of these coaches, and in their respect for the players and clubs. I don't want to make it dramatic. Injuries often happen with the national team, then the player returns to the club and loses the balance in the work they were doing, and after weeks the injury comes back. This is football, and there isn't much that can be done."

When asked whether coaching the team or managing the group is the more difficult task, Mourinho said: "Ancelotti is great at everything. He has no weaknesses. He is a great coach at all levels; I don't feel that anything is difficult. I see things naturally. Problems are a natural occurrence. We haven't faced the first problem yet, but it will come. Whether it's tactical or related to group management, it's normal for that to happen. It should be dealt with naturally and managed normally."

Regarding Ancelotti's comments about journalists exaggerating the focus on the starting lineup, Mourinho said: "If we go to the match tomorrow and even an hour and a half before it starts, the opponent doesn't know our lineup, I prefer that. But if the lineup is revealed today, it's not a dramatic issue."

He explained: "The thing that worries me is when you make too many structural changes. We play with three defenders, and with Espi and Kylian together. If we do something outside of what the Malaga coach might expect, then it becomes important."

Mourinho concluded his remarks by saying: "As for the difference between Carriera and Cucurella, it's not a dramatic matter. The positive feeling when the lineup doesn't appear is that no one has talked about it; neither the players, nor the equipment staff, nor the doctors... But if it does appear, it's not dramatic."