Mourinho talks Ceballos, Asencio, Sergio Martinez and Messi ahead of Real Betis vs Real Madrid

Mourinho talks Ceballos, Asencio, Sergio Martinez and Messi ahead of Real Betis vs Real Madrid Real Madrid are hoping to continue their 100% start to the 2026-27 season when they take on Real Betis at La Cartuja on Friday. Los Blancos have won their opening three matches by an aggregate score of 10-2, although the trip to Seville will be their toughest test yet. Ahead of travelling to Andalusia, head coach Jose Mourinho spoke to the media during his pre-match press conference. As per Marca , he spoke briefly on the upcoming fixture, before assessing La Liga’s level as a whole – including how he sees Betis in that context. “It has to be a great Real Madrid (that plays on Friday). Betis are a very good team. To win we have to be at our highest level. “Atlético de Madrid will be candidates. Surely, they think and feel that they can (challenge for the title). This stability of the same coach and mentality is an important force in football. Then there are teams in the Champions League like Betis or Villarreal who are strong, we’ll see tomorrow. The Basques too, all difficult. For me it’s not an easy league. There is a pressure that does not exist in other championships, which is to always have to win. In Germany or France, they have the peace of mind that they will always be champions. Here a result that is not winning, it is not a good result.” Friday’s match could see Real Madrid come up against former player Dani Ceballos, who re-signed for Betis earlier this week after terminating his Los Blancos contract earlier in the summer. Mourinho lifted the lid on the conversation he had with the midfielder that led to his exit. “We spoke on the phone for three minutes. I told him that I didn’t count on him, and many times players get stuck to their contracts, but in this case things have been easy because he told me that he preferred to be free to decide the future. In a couple of days, the player and the club have come to this conclusion.” Ceballos’ place in the first team could be taken by Sergio Martinez, who joined Real Madrid recently from Racing de Santander. The 19-year-old will be in the squad that travels to La Cartuja, as confirmed by Mourinho. “He trained with the first team for two days. We have given our opinion on whether he could get here. He has potential and a little experience in the First Division. He has to work, but the level of quality and intensity here is different. There he is, tomorrow he will be there, Rivas, Cestero… and let’s see if he plays or not, but it’s a step.” Mourinho on Asencio case: “Accumulated mistakes are different” Mourinho was also asked to comment on the situation with Raul Asencio, who’s been under the spotlight in recent days after he was convicted of drunk driving over an incident that took place last month. The Portuguese did not explicitly criticise the defender, although he sent out a very strong warning. “I spoke to him when I arrived based on things from the past. Since I arrived, I don’t talk about extra-sporting situations anymore. In Valdebebas he is an exemplary professional, when he was well, no one trained more and better than him. Now he is the first to arrive and the last to leave. But a Real Madrid player is a Real Madrid player 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 12 months a year. Everything you do abroad, is still Real Madrid. It continues to damage the prestige of a club that is untouchable. I’m not happy and everyone makes mistakes, but accumulated mistakes are different. “The club has opened a file. While the file is open, I see him as a Real Madrid player. He is injured and will continue to do so for a couple of weeks. That helps me to be out of this problem.” Mourinho also spoke briefly on Lionel Messi, who announced his international retirement earlier this week. “Talking about Messi is complicated. There are no words. That’s what we’ve seen, he’s one of those players you’re going to miss. We have to watch an MLS game, which I don’t like very much. There are players that you always miss. And this one we know what it means.”