Mourinho: Winning the clásico will have value in this case, and I don't have a fixed lineup

Real Madrid's coach José Mourinho appeared at a press conference to discuss the upcoming match against Racing Santander, stressing the importance of building on the victory in the clásico and securing three new points during the encounter between the two teams in the 11th round of LaLiga.

José Mourinho said: "We are in good shape and working well, and we have prepared for this match appropriately. It is an important clash, as after five matches since Racing's promotion to the league, the team has achieved three victories and two draws at El Sardinero, while also showing good levels and enjoying a strong relationship with their fans. Sunday’s match will be in the afternoon, a timing we are not used to, so it will be a tough encounter."

The Portuguese coach added: "The recent victory (in the clásico) will have great value if we manage to win again. However, if we lose the points we gained last weekend, that victory will not have the same meaning. We must respect Racing, as they have a specific style of play, and according to their coach's statements, they will enter the match with the ambition to win, so we will not be surprised by the difficulty of the encounter."

José Mourinho was keen to offer his condolences to the families of the train accident victims, stating: "I would like to express, on my behalf and on behalf of all the staff at Real Madrid, our solidarity with the families and friends of the victims of the Orda tragedy. We send them our hugs, feelings, and hearts."

José Mourinho spoke about Harry Kane winning the Ballon d'Or: "I had the privilege of working with Kane, he is a fantastic player and a great professional and a special person. While I feel frustrated that my player didn't win the award, I must be fair and admit that I am happy for him. He deserves this joy at the age of 32."

He added regarding Kylian Mbappé: "Mbappé is Mbappé, a unique player. If we were to award the Ballon d'Or every season, there would be one winner each year, even though some players have won it more than once. But the top scorer in the history of the FIFA World Cup is a title held by only one player, which is exceptional by any measure. What surprised me a bit was Jude Bellingham being in 11th place... no comment."

He added: "Do you feel that Real Madrid has become more balanced in the absence of Vinícius from the starting lineup? No, no. I don't see it that way. I see a group working to become a complete team, with players participating in matches and others outside the lineup. Everyone is working according to a unified approach in the way of playing, how to press, the positioning of the lines, and building attacks. This is a team that is gradually developing, and after that, you can make two or three changes to the lineup without the team being affected. That is the goal we are striving for."

Regarding Mbappé's situation after the China crisis: "Kylian has not been affected; Kylian possesses great intelligence and clear maturity, and he has a very high level of self-confidence. At the same time, he has elegance and respect. What happened is one of the risks of the world we live in today, where often the best thing you can do is not to speak, as there are many risks that can arise from things you say or comment on. But I also saw him act with great responsibility towards a club that has a significant status and elegance. From our side, it is over, and we have nothing more to add."

He added: "I feel reassured because the club I belong to is Real Madrid, and the player I have in my team is Kylian Mbappé. Both Real Madrid and Kylian Mbappé have shown great sophistication through their quick response and handling of the matter, and I feel fully represented by both of them."

Regarding his starting lineup and whether the team is more balanced in the absence of Vinícius: "I don't think about putting Vinícius in an individual context, and I don't have a fixed starting lineup. The lineup we play with today may differ in two weeks; football today is not like it was 20 years ago, it has become more intense and faster, with much greater physical demands. Therefore, talking about the starting lineup of any team automatically, as was done many years ago, has become extremely difficult. As I said, I feel that the team is better when I have players with different characteristics in midfield, and that is true, but it is a principle related to the style of play, not about classifying players as starters and substitutes."

He continued: "Vinícius' situation at the moment is very clear; he will not participate in the league, but he will play in the UEFA Champions League. I love him a lot, and I hope his suspension ends quickly because I want him and need him. That doesn't mean I'm saying he will be a starter, nor do I consider him a problem. He is a great player that we will have in a very strong squad."

Regarding the possibility of Trent Alexander-Arnold considering a departure in January? Initially, this pains me, as I do not like to cause players to feel frustrated; I prefer to give them positive feelings. It is clear that when you build a squad with two players in each position and then rely on a third player, that is not something I like, but there are other matters more important than these feelings, which serve the team at a certain moment. I saw that the right decision currently is to make a change in midfield and push Federico Valverde into that position, and my thinking was focused on the team's interest, not on the players' calculations. Trent and Denzel Dumfries accepted my decision well after I explained to them that it is about the team's interest and not directed against any player. In the end, everyone will get opportunities to participate.

Between: "Tomorrow, Valverde will not be a starter, and another player will participate. In the match against FC Barcelona, due to the circumstances of the game, Dumfries ended up participating, with Trent getting some minutes. I don't think either Arnold or Dumfries will ask to leave. The difficulty of the season, the number of matches, and these circumstances that force us to deal with the accumulation of cards, fatigue, and some injuries mean that everyone will get their chance to play. Therefore, I do not expect such a situation to occur."

He followed up: "Over the years, I have become more balanced in dealing with what others say. Criticism no longer affects me, and if someone says that I did this or that, or talks about what I did at FC Barcelona, I no longer occupy myself with these matters. I still believe that the credit for Barcelona's achievements goes to the players. If I leave a match feeling that I helped the team, then I am very happy. I am now more balanced, but I am not bolder or less than before. The defensive coach that I was in my first phase is the same one who achieved 100 points and had the team score 120 goals or more under his leadership, though I don't remember the exact number. And I hope to achieve that number of points and goals during the current season."

He added: "The real difference in my personality is that I am no longer as stubborn as I used to be. I am open to studying and learning lessons from the things I see, hear, and discuss. And sometimes it’s not just about listening, but also about following the work that players put in and feeling it. That’s all there is to it. I am calm, and I want to be that way, just as I hope the team will be calm as well."

Speaking about playing several matches away from the Bernabéu: "It is clear that it involves difficulty, as every match represents a challenge, whether played at home or away. However, playing away also means facing the opponent's fans, which gives the home team a greater sense of comfort and support. Racing is a team that has not lost at home yet. When we go to Athens, AEK will have played the derby against Panathinaikos tomorrow, so they may come into our match in good spirits or struggling. There is also a buildup of difficulties, as we played on Wednesday and arrived on Thursday morning, and we are well aware of all these circumstances. The task will be difficult, but what we have is the ability to endure, and the desire to act smartly and deal with the conditions. It is extremely tough, and I believe that playing four consecutive away matches is an almost exceptional situation. Regarding the match schedule, we were supposed to play today, but we will play tomorrow, and we were supposed to face Valencia on Sunday, but the match has been moved to Saturday, so we lost two days, and now we have three matches in seven days."

He concluded: "Have you noticed any change in the daily atmosphere within the team since the Clasico match? No. Since the beginning of the work, even when we were achieving victories and then faced losses, I always saw the same spirit. It is natural for players' features to change according to results, but I noticed the continued empathy, respect, and desire to work, as well as the balance in dealing with winning and losing. We are not a team that enjoys maturity due to having a large number of players with exceptional experiences; we are a young team overall, but I have seen a great deal of maturity among the players, whether in calmly dealing with difficult moments or during periods of success. We celebrated the victory in FC Barcelona, but then we took the bus and then the plane, and we had a day off before returning to training normally, while maintaining the same focus and motivation. When we started preparing for this match, I found the same seriousness, and this maturity makes me very happy. As I said in the press conference in Barcelona, our goal this season is not to win a match against Barcelona, but to win the championship, and we are trying to move in that direction."