Mourinho talks Vinicius, Mbappe, Bellingham, Ballon d’Or, Trent ahead of Racing Santander vs Real Madrid

Mourinho talks Vinicius, Mbappe, Bellingham, Ballon d’Or, Trent ahead of Racing Santander vs Real Madrid After stitching together a run of five wins in a row, Real Madrid will be aiming to extend that streak when they take on Racing Santander tomorrow at El Sardinero. The Merengues enjoyed a brilliant month of October, securing important wins against the likes of AS Roma and RB Leipzig in the UEFA Champions League and most recently Barcelona in La Liga, to cut the gap to the top down to three points. With games continuing to come thick and fast, Jose Mourinho & co. will be intent on building on their current momentum and collecting three more points tomorrow against the newly-promoted La Liga club. Ahead of the trip to Santander, Real Madrid manager Mourinho addressed the media in his pre-match press conference, discussing the team’s mood after the recent wins. Before that, though, the Portuguese tactician offered his condolences to those affected by the train crash in Urda, saying: “Before we begin, I just wanted to express, on behalf of myself and everyone who works for Real Madrid… our deepest condolences to the families and friends of the victims of Urda. Our heartfelt sympathies and support.” On the team’s mindset and opponents Discussing how the team was mentally after their 2-1 win over Real Madrid last weekend, Mourinho explained: We’re doing well, we’re working hard. We’ve prepared well for this match.” However, he was wary of tomorrow’s opponents and their form at home, saying: “Five games after being promoted to La Liga, Racing has played five matches at El Sardinero, with three wins and two draws. They’re playing well. “The match is on a Sunday afternoon, something we’re not used to anymore. It’s difficult. The last victory has great significance if we win again; otherwise, it won’t be the same. “We have to respect Racing. They’re a team with a very specific approach, and depending on the manager’s tactics, they’ll play with that ambition to win. They won’t catch us off guard. We know how difficult it will be.” Talking about whether anything had changed for him in his Real Madrid side after the Clasico victory, Mourinho remarked: “No. Ever since we started, and we started by winning games, even though we lost later, I’ve always seen… obviously, attitudes change depending on the results. “But I’ve always seen the same empathy, respect, willingness to work, and balance in victory and defeat. In that respect, we’re not a particularly mature team because we don’t have very experienced players; we’re generally young.” “But I’ve seen people with a lot of maturity. They’ve been able to stay calm in difficult moments, and even in moments of glory. In Barcelona, ​​we celebrated, but then it was bus, plane, day off, back to normal training, the same focus, the same motivation.” Mourinho happy with the atmosphere in the locker room. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images) Continuing, he added: “When we started preparing for this match, I saw seriousness. And I’m very happy about this maturity. “And as I said in the press conference in Barcelona, ​​our goal for the season isn’t just to win a game against Barcelona, ​​but to win the championship. And we’re trying to stay on that path.” On the Ballon d’Or The Ballon d’Or ceremony took place earlier this week, with Harry Kane winning the top prize ahead of Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe, who finished second. On being asked for his opinion on it, Mourinho, who had previously worked with Kane at Tottenham Hotspur, congratulated the striker, saying: “I’ve had the privilege of working with Harry. He’s a great player, a great professional, a great person. And obviously, despite the frustration that my player didn’t win, I also have to be honest and say that I’m very happy for Harry. “He’s a player and a guy who deserves… at his… I don’t know, 31 or 32 years old… he deserves a little joy, this crowning achievement in his career.” However, at the same time, Mourinho expressed his disappointment over Mbappe not being crowned the winner, as he said: “On the other hand, I think that… Kylian is Kylian. Kylian is unique. And if we have a Ballon d’Or every season, okay, some have won it more than once, Messi, Cristiano, Ronaldo Nazário, Platini… there are people who have won it more than once. “But every year we have a Ballon d’Or. But there’s only one best player in the history of the World Cup. It’s something absolutely unique. And Kylian is unique.” He also expressed his surprise at Jude Bellingham finishing 11th in the final rankings, saying: “Of all the votes, the thing that has left me… even more… a little speechless with surprise is Jude Bellingham. Eleventh. No comments . We’ll end here. On the fixture schedule and Mbappe-China controversy Real Madrid will now go on a stretch of three matches on the road after having already played away from home last week against Barcelona. And, Mourinho warned that the run of fixtures against Racing, AEK Athens, and Valencia could prove to be a tricky one to navigate, saying: “This stretch is dangerous. Every match is dangerous, especially away from home. Playing away has its problems. Racing hasn’t lost at home. AEK will be haunted by their derby against Panathinaikos. Mestalla is always difficult. The difficulties are piling up. “It’s a test of our resilience. It’s a very difficult situation to play four matches away from home. We should have played yesterday and on Saturday in Valencia. It’s a huge gift they’ve given us, but that’s how it is. We have to face it.” Mourinho also touched upon the controversy sparked by Kylian Mbappe’s comments in China, with both the player and Real Madrid facing boycott and being forced to issue apologies over the statements. Mourinho showed support to Mbappe amid the China controversy. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images) “I’m calm. My club is Real Madrid and Mbappé is my player. Their reaction was immediate. I feel very well represented as a coach by my club and my players,” he said. “He’s very mature. He has class. The way he interpreted the Ballon d’Or is classy. What happened in China reflects the dangers of today’s world, where often the best thing is to keep your mouth shut. That’s it. The reaction was appropriate, classy,” he added. On the situation of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Vinicius Jr. Talking about the situation of Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is repor tedly considering leaving in January after falling behind Denzel Dumfries and Federico Valverde in the right-back position, Mourinho explained: “It hurts. I don’t like building a squad with two players in one position and then having someone else play; it makes me sad. But the team matters more. That’s why Fede is going to right-back, thinking about the team. Trent and Dumfries have accepted it well. “It’s for the team, not for the players. Everyone will play. Fede isn’t starting tomorrow. In Barcelona, ​​all three played due to circumstances. I don’t think any of them will ask to leave. The season is very long. I don’t think that kind of situation will arise.” Also regarding Vinicius Jr. and the make-up of the Real Madrid starting XI once the Brazilian returns from his suspension, Mourinho explained: “There’s no set starting eleven. It’s going to change. Today’s football isn’t what it was 10 years ago. It’s much more demanding. The classic starting eleven no longer exists. That’s not the case today. “Vini’s situation is simple: suspended in La Liga, he plays in the Champions League. I love him and I need him. And that doesn’t mean he’s going to be a starter. For me, that’s not a problem. He’s a very good player on a very good team.” Source: AS