Mourinho: Only Real Madrid can do this, and we didn't play a perfect match

Real Madrid manager José Mourinho appeared at a press conference following a hard-fought 3-2 victory over AEK Athens in the fourth round of the UEFA Champions League at the Alawin Arena.

The coach said: "I am very happy, of course. We played against a very tough team that put on a great match, perhaps their best match ever. From the first minute, they were very solid and relied on direct play. It was an exceptional match in terms of physical strength, vitality, and intensity; AEK Athens is responsible for us not delivering a perfect performance, as they played wonderfully. As for us, despite the difficulty of the encounter, we always remained in the game and knew how to handle critical moments twice. We showed strong character despite being behind in the score, and in the last minute, when the match became open and both teams wanted to win, the team with greater individual quality triumphed."

He added: "Not having Endrick participate regularly? All players who do not participate deserve to have more opportunities, and the proof that I am not saying meaningless words is the level that the players show when they get the chance to participate, even though they do not usually play. Militão had a great match, and he needed some time to regain his rhythm, but he settled down after that. As for Endrick, it is extremely difficult for any full-back to face a player with this quality for an hour, and then find himself having to face him again."

He continued: "As I said, there are many coaches who look at the bench with positive envy, because when I face problems, I find many options in front of me. I made changes, and when the score was 2-2, I decided to make different changes, because I have a group that has a very high quality, and as long as the players want to work for the team only, ignoring personal considerations, the group will remain very strong. We have 12 points, and I believe we have already qualified. Now we need to gather the necessary points to avoid the playoffs and save two matches, because the schedule is very crowded. I don't know exactly, maybe we need 7 or 8 points, but we have to collect what remains."

Regarding Vinícius's performance: "Vinícius did not cause anything. Diomandé came to Real Madrid so he could play on both sides, not just in one position. It makes no difference to him, he can play on either side, he had an acceptable match, but it was not exceptional, like the whole team that did not deliver an exceptional match. As for Vinícius, he performed his role very well."

He emphasized: "Of course, when I think about making changes during an open match, I have to consider the score, but I also think a little about the Valencia match. So I had to think about taking out Diomande instead of Vinícius, or taking out Bernardo instead of Camavinga, because Tchouaméni will participate against Valencia. I took the next match into account when making some changes."

Speaking about the comeback, "We achieved victory in the last minute during the first match. Of course, I prefer to secure wins more calmly, but these matches that are decided in the final minutes can only be won by Real Madrid. We have the ability to clinch such encounters, and if we succeed, it is because everyone feels capable of achieving victory. The players have the courage, and I am extremely fortunate to have players of such quality."

He continued his talk about Jude Bellingham's level: "Since I arrived, he has been performing well, and that's all there is to it. He is a unique player, and there is no midfielder in the world who possesses this level of integration in all aspects; I don't find many words to describe him, as he is exceptional by all standards. Even on days when he doesn't speak much, you find he has the work ethic, leadership, ambition, quality, and ability to reach the goal and score. He is a wonderful player, and I repeat that I am very lucky to have this group."

Regarding the penalty awarded to Kylian Mbappé against Racing Santander: "I see that this situation had no effect on the points. It’s a match we would have won by three, four, or five goals even if we hadn’t received the penalty. And if we needed to score more goals, we would have done so, but the team didn’t want to continue scoring. We’re not talking about a match like some league games where refereeing decisions affect the result; we’re talking about a minor penalty, I admit that, because it’s the kind that the referee gives after believing it’s a penalty, based on his assessment of the situation. For me, it is a penalty, but if it were given against me, I wouldn’t be happy. However, we’re talking about a match where there is no real controversy, so what are we talking about? We could have scored five goals without any doubts. It’s better to talk about matches where refereeing decisions have a significant impact, but in this match, it had no effect."

Regarding Rafael Nadal's appointment as a member of the board of Real Madrid: "I tip my hat to Real Madrid, and I also tip my hat to the great Rafael Nadal. I believe he is a big supporter of Real Madrid, and he certainly must be to become a member of the board, but Rafael Nadal is Rafael Nadal, and as a coach, I feel a great pride in having him with us. I think every Real Madrid supporter will feel the same pride; all I hope is that supporters of other clubs who love Nadal do not stop loving or supporting him just because he has become affiliated with Real Madrid."

"What is the best way to deal with Vinícius: firmness or leniency? Which hand is good and which is bad? Is the right hand the good one? I think I deal with him 80% with the right hand (leniency) and 20% with the left hand (firmness)."

Regarding the team's physical condition before facing Valencia: "We made five changes compared to the match on Sunday, and we will definitely make four or five more changes from today's match to Saturday's encounter, Hausen, Konaté, Tchouaméni, and Arda Güler, among others, because playing matches this way is extremely difficult, especially when there are only two days between matches, and after having to travel as well. It is very exhausting, and that's all there is to it."

He concluded about the atmosphere at the stadium and AEK Athens' performance: "The atmosphere was exceptional. These stadiums play an important role in matches, which is why we saw a wonderful encounter. Honestly, I don't have the time during the match to monitor the players individually, but if I had to choose someone who deserves praise, I would choose the coach of AEK Athens, because the team played in a way different from their usual style, positioned themselves differently, defended well, executed counter-attacks effectively, and played without fear. If I had to commend someone in particular, I would choose their coach; for me, it was an acceptable match."