Mourinho hits out at Asensio and reveals details of Modric deal

José Mourinho, the manager of Real Madrid, spoke at a press conference ahead of tomorrow's match against Real Betis in the fourth round of La Liga at the Estadio La Cartuja.

José Mourinho commented on Raúl Asencio's case following a court ruling regarding his driving under the influence, with a blood alcohol level nearly four times the legal limit in Spain. He emphasized that the Real Madrid player's off-field actions could impact his reputation and that of the club.

José Mourinho said: "I spoke to him when I arrived, and I did that based on things that happened in the past. Since I arrived, I haven't spoken to him again about these matters. I don't talk about situations that happen outside Valdebebas, because inside Valdebebas, he is a true professional player. When he was in good shape, there was no one who trained harder or better than him. And now, while he is injured, he is the first to arrive and the last to leave. He has great dedication."

The Portuguese coach added: "But a Real Madrid player is a Real Madrid player 24 hours a day. What you do off the pitch can harm your reputation and the club's reputation. I am not happy about that. But in the end, we all make mistakes, although the accumulation of mistakes is a different matter. The club has opened a disciplinary investigation with him, and as a coach, as long as the investigation is open, I see him as a player for Real Madrid. This will continue for several more weeks. This helps me stay away from the problem I spoke about. He is a player for Real Madrid."

Regarding the possibility of making changes in midfield in preparation for the UEFA Champions League matches, Mourinho said: "We will talk about that after the match. But until then, let me be optimistic and happy. We will focus on Real Betis and forget about this story."

Regarding the new arrival Sergio Martínez, who continues to train with the first team of Real Madrid, he said: "Tomorrow he will be on the bench, and through that, you can see somewhat what the plan is. He has only trained for a few days with the first team, but the club signed him knowing that he would not be immediately part of the first team. We analyzed his situation and saw that he is a player with potential; he has already had a small experience in the second and first divisions. He has potential, but he needs to work. The level of sharpness here is different. But he is with us. Tomorrow he will be on the bench alongside Ruyfa and Sestero, and we will see if he plays. But he has already taken a step forward."

Regarding Julián Alvarez's situation: "No one knows this case better than Simeone, and I don't see that I have anything to say about this matter. What I usually say is that when a player is not happy, when the first of September comes, you must be happy, otherwise you won't play. My impression is that as of yesterday, and at least until the end of the season, he will be an important player for his club."

Regarding the academy players: "Many of them train with me from time to time, and even those who do not come, we have a great interest in them. They have done a fantastic job over the last few years, and as a result, they have been promoted to the first team, like Tiago. In addition to the millions that Real Madrid has made from player sales, these are not necessarily final sales, as Real Madrid can recall their players whenever they want. As the season progresses, with suspensions and injuries, opportunities will always arise. Each time I get to know them better, and we have daily communication with Manu and La Fábrica. All these players can dream of moving up to the first team. I won't choose them all, but they can be excited about getting a chance."

Regarding Dani Ceballos's departure: "We spoke on the phone for three minutes, and I told him that I do not rely on him. Often players cling to their contracts, but in this case, he understood the situation and said he preferred to become free and decide his future. We reached an agreement, terminated the contract, and Ceballos is now free to make his decision about his future."

Discussing the signing of Luka Modrić during his first term: "We wanted him very much, but negotiating with Daniel Levy was nearly impossible. We were following the deal while we were in the United States, and one day it was a done deal, the next day it wasn't, then yes, then no. Real Madrid was close to saying the deal was impossible, but the player wanted to move because he could play in the 6, 8, or 10 position. He was the ideal player; you all killed me for several months, but then... I silenced the mouths."