Mourinho on the lineup, rotations, Vinicius, Mbappé, Bellingham, Tchaomeni, Valverde, Diamonde ...
José Mourinho has appeared at a press conference ahead of his first official match in charge of Real Madrid and has left a number of interesting clues for Fantasy. The Portuguese coach spoke about the competition to make the starting XI, Vinicius, Mbappé and Bellingham, the midfield, rotations, the injured players and Tchouaméni's status before facing Espanyol.
Real Madrid C.F.
Mourinho does not want an ideal XI: there will be plenty of rotations
One of Mourinho's most important statements for Fantasy managers came when he was asked about his ideal XI. The Portuguese has made it clear that he does not want to set a fixed lineup and that he intends to keep the competition open throughout the season.
"I don't have an ideal XI. If I do, I don't want to have it. I want to keep the door open to compete", he explained.
Mourinho recalled that the schedule will force the team to play many matches every three days and gave several examples of players of enormous quality in the squad: Trent, Dumfries, Cucurella or Carreras.
"It's not possible to think that one will play 50 and the other 10. It's not possible. We have a lot of quality", he added.
An important Fantasy warning: having direct competition will not necessarily mean that a player has lost their starting spot. Mourinho seems willing to distribute minutes depending on the opponent, each player's physical condition and the moment of each player.
The first XI is already known by the players
Although Mourinho did not want to publicly reveal the lineup with which he will begin the campaign, he confirmed that his players already know who will be starters.
"The players already know who plays. I'm not the type to hide things. They know it. Maybe within a couple of hours your information will arrive. I'm not going to say it", he said, joking.
So, you will need to pay close attention to any information that may emerge over the next few hours before the match against Espanyol.
Vinicius, Mbappé and Bellingham: Mourinho believes he can make them work together
Mourinho was also asked about one of the season's biggest tactical challenges: making Vinicius, Mbappé and Bellingham compatible.
The coach acknowledges that finding the perfect balance may take time, but he is fully convinced they can coexist in the same team.
"They are incredible players. They want to play with incredible players. The tactical combination could be more difficult", he admitted.
Mourinho recalled that Vinicius, Mbappé and Bellingham have performed in different contexts before and said that now he will have to find "Mourinho's perfect setup for the three of them".
"They don't have incompatible positions. We are going to have a great season with them", he concluded.
Vinicius will continue to be a key piece
Vinícius Júnior21.780.000€-3.170.000€ 7
DLThe coach's words also conveyed a lot of confidence towards Vinicius Junior. Mourinho said the Brazilian has been involved since his arrival and highlighted, in particular, his desire to win again.
"What I see is that he wants to win. He knows what I want, no doubt. I think he's happy, comfortable with how we prepare the matches", he explained.
He also spoke about his contract renewal and made clear the value he has within the project: "He is one of the best, and the best have to be here".
Does Real Madrid need another midfielder?
Mourinho also does not believe there is currently a major problem in midfield. The Portuguese coach viewed the alternatives available positively and only described the arrival of another player as "the icing on the cake".
"I don't think we have a deficit. A midfielder would be the icing on the cake. When you have Tchouaméni, Bernardo, Arda... In time he will be able to play in these positions. We don't have a problem", he said.
Especially interesting is the reference to Arda Güler, whom Mourinho seems to consider as an alternative capable of occupying interior positions in the future.
Tchouaméni will not be available for the debut
Tchouaméni10.190.000€+270.000€ 6
MDAs for the squad's physical condition, Mourinho confirmed important news for the first matchday. Tchouaméni will not be in a position to play this first match.
The midfielder will need to complete several additional training sessions to speed up his readiness.
"Tchouaméni is fine. He has to train today, tomorrow, Sunday, to speed up his process. He has arrived in conditions that do not allow him to be ready for this match", Mourinho explained.
Therefore, his absence opens up an important spot in Real Madrid's midfield for the clash against Espanyol.
Endrick, also out of the match
Endrick2.470.000€-180.000€ -
DLThe coach also confirmed that Endrick will be ruled out for this first fixture. As Mourinho explained, he is the only player absent who is not carrying an issue from last season.
"The only player who is out of this match who is not coming from this past season is Endrick", he said.
The rest of the injured players from the previous campaign will still need time, and Mourinho does not expect to have them back immediately.
Everyone will have to defend: a warning for the attackers
Mourinho also explained what he expects from his players when Real Madrid does not have the ball. There will be no players completely freed from defensive duties, although their responsibilities will be different depending on their position and the opponent.
"You have to defend with 11", the Portuguese coach summed up.
The coach differentiated between players who will have to press intensely and others whose job will mainly be to close passing lanes and occupy spaces.
"The stuff about people defending and people waiting for the ball, no", he warned.
A particularly interesting statement for understanding the level of demand Mourinho wants to impose on Vinicius, Mbappé, Bellingham and the rest of the attacking players.
The competition will be at maximum level and Mourinho warns about frustration
Another key message for rotations came when Mourinho talked about squad management. The coach knows he will have to leave important players on the bench and considers it essential how they react when that moment arrives.
"There will come a time of frustration for many because it will be the first time I have to choose and one will be a starter and the other will go to the bench", he explained.
Mourinho was even more forceful about the consequences of dropping performance:
"The day someone drops the level because of frustration, the decision will be easy for me".
The conclusion for Fantasy managers seems clear: weekly performance and training sessions can carry a huge weight in the coach's decisions.
Cestero, Ciria and Rivas will be on the bench
Mourinho also confirmed that Cestero, Ciria and Rivas will be included in the squad and will be on the bench against Espanyol.
The Portuguese coach wants to keep the squad relatively small and use academy players to complete certain roles.
"I like working with a maximum of 22 players. They fill these free positions and work very well with us", he explained.
Mourinho also intends to keep offering opportunities to different young players throughout the season: "This week it's these three, and then it will be many more".
Mourinho expects a dangerous Espanyol
Regarding the opponent in the opener, Mourinho showed a lot of respect for the Espanyol and highlighted in particular the fact that they are a team with routines and automatisms already in place.
"Teams that have had the same coach for a long time are well-prepared teams, with routines and dynamics. They play well. With ambition", he said.
The coach also recalled their good start to the campaign: "They have three points, three goals scored, none conceded, the fans are happy".
Even so, Mourinho said Real Madrid is ready for the opener and will travel convinced of getting the win.
The Fantasy keys Mourinho's press conference leaves behind
The Portuguese coach's first major appearance leaves several important takeaways for Fantasy managers. Mourinho will not have an absolutely fixed XI, rotations will be the norm and performance in training will carry a lot of weight.
Vinicius, Mbappé and Bellingham start as the main attacking pillars, but Mourinho wants defensive involvement from everyone. In addition, Tchouaméni and Endrick will not be available for the debut, while Cestero, Ciria and Rivas will be on the bench.
The coach did not want to reveal his first lineup, although he confirmed that the players themselves already know who will be starters. The next pieces of information around the team may help clear up the main doubts before the opener against Espanyol.
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