Mourinho: This is what I told the Valencia coach, and I fear physical fatigue

José Mourinho, Real Madrid's head coach, appeared at a press conference after the 3-0 victory over Valencia at the Mestalla, in the 12th round of LaLiga, as the royal team continues its positive results, having achieved its eighth consecutive win.

The coach spoke about how he has succeeded in making the team more defensively committed. Mourinho said: "It comes down to them, to them. The credit goes to the players. I can't pinpoint anything in my work as the main factor that has made them perform at this level. I do my usual job, and they respond wonderfully, both individually and collectively. There has been significant development, but it should be noted that we had long periods of ball possession today, and we didn't have to exert much defensive effort. However, when we lose the ball, our reaction is always fantastic."

He added: "There is a moment in the second half in front of the bench, where we lost the ball and Arda Güler was out of position, but Kylian Mbappé sprinted quickly to close the space and reorganize the team on the right side. This is a good example, but it is just one example. The players are very united and connected. And as I told the Real Madrid channel, I feel from my experience that this team bodes well."

Regarding the tense atmosphere that accompanied the match, the Portuguese coach explained: "Mestalla means passion. Valencia has always been a difficult stadium throughout its history, and its fans demand a lot from their team and players. When you play against Real Madrid, who clearly excels at both individual and collective levels, the sense of frustration increases, which drives the players to adopt a style that allows them to compete with the team for the result."

He continued: "The positive thing for us is that we kept our calm and did not get carried away in responding to what was happening. From my point of view, the red card was very clear, even though I was far from the incident. As for the yellow card that Kylian received, I don't know; I know it was a moment that could have turned into a goal and a dangerous opportunity, but I don't know if the referee could have allowed play to continue or not. Frankly, I think the referee did an absolutely fantastic job."

He continued: "That was in a stadium that witnesses a lot of protests. There is a difference between the Santiago Bernabéu, where the fans come to watch the match quietly, and stadiums like Santander and Valencia, where supporters want to be part of the game. With the frustration over the result, the intensity of the protests and the atmosphere rise, but all of that remains within normal limits."

When asked about the possibility of sending a message to any national team coaches regarding Real Madrid players, Mourinho said: "No, I won't talk to anyone, because I don't know if I will become a national team coach one day. But I have a feeling that if I took on this role, I would be extremely annoying for the clubs, because I would only think about myself and my team. That's why I don't find myself in a position to contact anyone, even if it's my friend Carlo."

Regarding the Real Madrid players joining the Brazil national team: "With Carlo, look closely, as Vinícius and Endrick will join him, and if he plays them, I will be grateful to him. I am not worried about Carlo's position. However, national team coaches are not happy when a player gets injured due to workload accumulation. It is also their duty to handle players professionally and help them recover. We hope luck is on our side."

The Portuguese coach discussed the impact of the international break, saying: "As I mentioned, my only concern is related to the accumulation of loads. The players are suffering from extreme fatigue, and they will have to join their national teams on Monday. During Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, they will continue trying to shake off this muscle fatigue they are experiencing. I'm not talking about mental fatigue, as the team that is winning does not suffer from it, but physical fatigue is indeed present, and the players are exhausted. However, as I said, we must respect the coaches of the national teams."

Speaking about what has pleased him most during the eight-match winning streak, especially after the loss to Atlético that followed discussions of chaos within the team, Mourinho said: "What makes me happy is precisely what you described with the word chaos after we lost that match. There was no chaos at all. We were always calm, understood the reasons that led to the loss, and knew the aspects we could improve. We maintained our calm throughout, and I will always continue to work so that everyone keeps their balance in good times. I constantly tell the players that winning matches with a team like Real Madrid should not drive us to madness of joy, but should be a natural thing."

He emphasized: "I see a happy dressing room, with loud and very bad music, but it has calm people, because our message is to treat things as normal. When we lose, you enter a state of chaos that may then spread to the surroundings of Real Madrid and its fans, but we here inside maintain our calm, we are always calm."

Regarding the possibility of attending the NFL game that will take place at the Bernabéu: "I will go to the NFL game tomorrow if my temperature drops from 40 to 39 degrees, as I am in very bad shape. I am exhausted and tired and suffering from a fever. But if my condition improves, I will go."

He concluded his remarks on the tensions in the match: "No, there was no tension. I left the pitch immediately, and my friend Aguirre was with me. I am pleased to share with you what I told him after the match: don't be sad because my players are much better than yours. And that is the truth, the problem is not with Aguirre, he is a great coach with extensive experience, but my Real Madrid players are at a very high level. Coaches who have players like these are closer to achieving victories."