Mourinho talks record win-rate, fixture congestion and international break after Valencia 0-3 Real Madrid

Mourinho talks record win-rate, fixture congestion and international break after Valencia 0-3 Real Madrid Real Madrid will sign off for the second international break of the season in an emphatic fashion, having secured a comprehensive 3-0 win over Valencia. It was a dominant performance from Los Blancos , who continue their solid run of form since the end of the first international break of the season. Speaking to the media after the game, Jose Mourinho offered his thoughts on a historic personal milestone while throwing a tantrum on the fixture, among other things. A record-breaking win rate Mourinho was informed during the presser that he had just become the coach with the best win percentage in La Liga history, with 97 victories from 126 matches across his two spells at the Bernabeu. “It tells me we have to win the next one. Because… in this life, the beautiful numbers, the ones that have some meaning… people forget. And we don’t feed on numbers from the past; we feed on the present. And we have to win the next one ,” he said. It was a dominant, team-effort for Real Madrid. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) “But I had no idea. And obviously it’s a pride, because the Spanish League has had so many top coaches throughout history. And to be there, with those numbers, is a pride. But, as I say, the next game is the most important thing ,” he added. Mourinho went on to heap praise on his team, particularly for the defensive solidity they have shown and how the team has evolved across the course of this season. “It’s them. It’s them. The credit is for the players. I can’t identify anything in my work that’s the key to… to do it. I do my normal job and they are responding individually and as a team… they are responding in a spectacular way.” “There is a great evolution, but I think that also the fact that today we have had so much possession and… little defensive work, helps. But it must also be said that at the time of losing the ball, we have always had a great reaction ,” he said. Mourinho also dissected why Real Madrid have been so strong defensively, putting out one instance of teamwork. “But in relation to what you say, there is an image in front of my bench, in the second half, where we have lost the ball, Arda is out of position and Kylian makes… a sprint to get to and to close the block on the right side. I think this is a good example. “But it’s just an example. They are very supportive, they are very close. And as I said to Real Madrid TV: from my experience, this team smells good.” On the Mestalla tension and refereeing The game had its fair share of controversies too, including a late red card, hostile chants from the crowd aimed at Mbappe and constant protest from fans. Mourinho offered his thoughts on the atmosphere at Mestalla. “Look, Mestalla is… Mestalla is passion. Valencia, throughout history, has always been… a difficult stadium. A demanding stadium with its teams, with its players.” “Playing against a Real Madrid that is much superior individually and also collectively, I believe… frustration increases. And… push the players into a style of play that allows them to discuss the outcome. The good thing for us is that we have had a great peace of mind when it comes to… not responding.” The Real Madrid coach also offered his thoughts on the red card incident, where Mbappe was taken out by Jose Gaya in a nasty challenge. “The situation of the red, from a distance, seems very clear to me. And then the yellow to Kylian… I don’t know. I don’t know. I know it’s potentially a goal, it’s potentially a goal action. “ I don’t know if I could or could not let the play continue but, to also tell the truth, I think… I can be wrong, I don’t know, but from the bench it has seemed to me that the referee has done a great job.” Finally, on the fans protesting amid structural issues at Valencia and its ownership, Mourinho offered some context. “Great job. Obviously in a stadium where people protest. One thing is the Bernabeu, where people go there, quietly to the match and another thing is Santander, Valencia. Mbappe scored a late goal for Real Madrid. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) “ They are stadiums where people want to play the game. And from the frustration of the result, because people give it a little more protests, a little more heat. But all within normality.” Fixture congestion and the international break Mourinho did not hold back when it comes to La Liga’s tight scheduling, especially after gruelling travels to Athens, Santander and now Valencia. “A message to Tebas’ La Liga… I have to be humble, because they are the ones in power. And I ask them not to put us through the same thing again,” he said. “Because… I don’t want to say it’s superhuman, because it is possible, but it is very difficult. And if they want to play this joke on someone, let them do it to someone else. Leave us alone after this marathon of travelling and matches, from Sunday to Saturday. It has been too much,” he added. “But they are going away with their national teams. I can imagine, although I have never coached a national team, that their coaches will want to work with them. But these players cannot work right now. Right now, they need to rest so that they can then play for their national teams later in the week, on Thursday, Friday or around then. Asked whether he would send advice to national team coaches, Mourinho was hesitant, though he singled out Carlo Ancelotti’s situation with Brazil. “No, no. I’m not going to speak to anyone because… I don’t know if I’ll ever become a national team coach one day. I don’t know. But I have a feeling that if I ever do, I’ll be very demanding with the clubs. I’ll think about myself, I’ll think about my team. “ And that’s why I don’t feel I have the right to call anyone, even if it’s my friend Carlo,” he said . Real Madrid will indeed have four players leaving the camp just for the French national team and many others will head elsewhere. Mourinho, though, extrapolated on Ancelotti and Brazil, adding that Vinicius Jr. and Endrick going to the international break may perhaps be a good thing as they do require regular game-time. “But in Carlo’s case, look closely at who is going with him. It’s Vinicius, who needs to play; it’s Endrick, and if Carlo gives him playing time, I’ll appreciate that. So Carlo isn’t the one I’m concerned about in this situation. “But I also believe that national team coaches don’t want a player to get injured because of accumulated fatigue. I think they also owe it to the players to show professionalism when it comes to their recovery. Let’s hope… let’s hope we get lucky. On his worry about the break interrupting a run of eight straight wins, he reiterated his concern over fatigue. “ As I was saying… my only concern is this accumulation of fatigue. They are obviously extremely fatigued. Extremely fatigued ,” he said. “I do not say mental fatigue, because whoever wins has no mental fatigue. But physical fatigue, yes. People are… people are… But as I said, I respect for the coaches of the teams.” Mourinho on chaos, NFL and fever Mourinho was keen to stress that, even after the earlier defeat to Atletico, his camp never panicked. “No, what makes me happiest is precisely what… using the word you used: ‘chaos’, because we lost that match. “We have never been in ‘chaos’. We have always remained calm. We understood why we lost that match. We understood where we could improve. We have always had… a lot of… a lot of calmness ,” he said. “I will always fight to ensure that, during the good moments, people remain balanced. I always tell them that winning matches at a club like Real Madrid… you cannot get carried away with… with ‘mad celebrations’. Mbappe’s third goal sealed the win for Real Madrid. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) “ Winning matches at Real Madrid has to be the norm. I see a happy dressing room, with horrible music playing loudly… but horrible music! However, the players are calm, because the message is ‘normality’ when it comes to winning matches ,” he added. Mourinho added the importance of not getting away and maintaining that chaos within the team. “When we lose, that’s when we enter the ‘chaos’ that you talk about. And that can then spread to the ‘chaos’ surrounding Real Madrid and its supporters. But in here, within the dressing room, we remain calm. Very calm ,” he said. Finally, Mourinho was asked whether or not he would attend the NFL tomorrow. “I’ll go to the NFL tomorrow if my temperature drops from 40°C to 39°C, because I’m dying. I’m exhausted. I’m tired, I have a fever. I’m dying. But if I recover, I’ll go. And to conclude, Mourinho offered explanation on whether or not there was a potential confrontation involving him and Valencia coach Javier Aguirre. “ Ah, no, no! I came out immediately, with my friend Aguirre alongside me. And it’s a pleasure to tell you what I said to Aguirre after the match: “Don’t be sad, because my players are much better than yours.” “ And that’s the truth. The problem isn’t Aguirre, who is a great coach with plenty of experience. But the reality is that Real Madrid’s players… are very good. And coaches who have players like mine are closer to winning,” he concluded. Source: Diario AS