Mourinho: We need time to develop Real Madrid, and I will find a way to help Vinícius

José Mourinho, the Portuguese manager of Real Madrid, has confirmed his need for time to improve the team's performance and address weaknesses. He also discussed the situation of Vinícius Júnior and the conditions of Federico Valverde and Éder Militão ahead of the clash with Villarreal in the eighth round of LaLiga.

The Portuguese coach said: "After the last match, I spent two or three days analyzing all the details. When you have fewer players available for training, you have more time to study things in detail. We found many good aspects, alongside things that need improvement."

He added: "This does not mean that radical changes are necessary, as that takes time to work on. I cannot ask the players to switch to playing with five defenders or four midfielders after just two days of training."

Real Madrid's coach cited Mikel Arteta's experience with Arsenal to emphasize that building a competitive team requires patience and continuous work.

José Mourinho said: "I read that Mikel Arteta renewed his contract with Arsenal after spending several years there, and he said they are still at the beginning."

He continued: "Real Madrid are going through a tough period, and they bear part of the responsibility because the team has gotten used to winning a lot, so everything has a different weight now. We need time to improve some things; there are aspects that can be developed gradually, while others need a longer time."

The Portuguese coach emphasized that he does not want to justify the loss against Atlético by only talking about the numerical disadvantage he believed should have occurred in the opponent's ranks, stressing the need to focus on improving the aspects that the team can control.

He said: "As a coach, I do not just say that the match should have been played between eleven players against nine; we need to develop what we can control. We made tactical adjustments to improve certain aspects, but these changes may not be clear to those who do not have specialized technical knowledge."

Mourinho spoke about his approach to Vinícius Júnior, as the Brazilian player strives to regain his best levels, explaining that his choices do not depend on the player's name or status, but rather on his current condition and the best way to assist him.

He said: "Merit is important, but we must also be open; the decision should not depend on the player's name or status, but on their current situation. We need to know the best way to help the players."

He added: "Relying solely on merit has its risks too, and sometimes players need to be given more time. There are different ways to help a player when they are not at their best."

Regarding Vinícius specifically, he said: "He is very eager to regain his form and be a decisive player, and he surprised me positively because he is working well; we will find another way to help him."

He added: "I respect the true fans of Real Madrid, but it pains me to see a player like this not receiving support, because some people are influenced by what the media says."

Mourinho addressed the physical condition of his players before the match against Villarreal, confirming that Valverde's participation is still in doubt, while Éder Militão will miss the game.

He said: "Valverde is the player whose participation is in doubt, while Militão will not be available. He has trained very seriously with the Castilla players and the youth teams, and I joke with him and say he is ready, but his medical history is very complicated, so we must be cautious."

He added: "Militão will not participate against Villarreal, and he will also not be available for the match against AS Roma or Sevilla. As for Valverde, we will make a decision after assessing his condition."

Real Madrid's coach has explained that he utilized the past period to analyze the team's performance before traveling with his family to London and Portugal for two days, then returning to training in preparation for upcoming matches.

He said: "After the last match, I spent two or three days analyzing, then I went to London and Portugal with my family for two days, after which I returned to prepare, because the players have had long trips between continents and are suffering from jet lag."

He added: "The fact that the players present in training have not suffered new injuries makes us feel that we are doing things correctly."

Regarding attacking options, Mourinho confirmed that Real Madrid has a large number of quality players, but he emphasized the necessity of maintaining balance on the pitch.

He said: "Real Madrid can play with any of the forwards in the team, as we have many players of high quality. We can include three forwards along with another attacking player, but we cannot field six forwards at the same time while maintaining balance and controlling risks."