Mourinho on Vinicius, Endrick, Valverde, Espi, Mbappé, the lineup, signings ...

Real Madrid C.F.

Real Madrid's debut at the Bernabéu

Mourinho began his press conference by talking about the first match of the season at the Santiago Bernabéu. The Portuguese coach expects a demanding game against a Real Sociedad side that he believes has a clear identity and players of real quality.

«It is the first game at home, but it is one of 19. Every point is important. The goal is to win, respecting a team that deserves to be respected», he explained.

The squad's physical management

The Madrid coach acknowledged that he still needs to carefully measure the minutes of some players due to the uneven physical preparation within the squad. To make these decisions, Mourinho will combine his instincts with medical data and the information provided by the players themselves.

«This management has to be done well between not playing anything and playing a lot. I mix my view with the data and with what the players tell me», he said.

Real Madrid's current form

Mourinho admitted that the team has not yet reached its best physical level. The Portuguese coach recalled that Espanyol showed higher intensity during some phases of the league debut, although he was satisfied with his players' willingness and with the foundation built during pre-season.

The coach believes Real Madrid needs time to reach its best version, especially after a preparation shaped by the workload of last season's matches.

His return to the Santiago Bernabéu

Mourinho's return to the Bernabéu dugout will be one of the big attractions of the match. However, the Portuguese coach wanted to downplay the spotlight and asked that the crowd's support be focused exclusively on the team.

«I don't want the Bernabéu to welcome me in a particular way. I want it to welcome the team with its passion. I am not important», he said.

Mourinho does expect his players to feel a different atmosphere from the one experienced during some difficult moments of last season.

The treatment Vinicius receives

One of the issues that worries the coach most is the treatment Vinicius receives from opponents. Mourinho believes there is too much leniency when it comes to fouls and provocations aimed at the Brazilian.

«Opponents know they can. If they can hammer Vini and the yellow card comes after ten fouls or after an aggression, that's a kind of treatment I don't like», he complained.

The Portuguese coach said that both he and the club will defend the attacker when they believe he is being punished unfairly.

The responsibility of the referees

Regarding Vinicius, Mourinho also wanted to point to the responsibility of the officials. The coach believes the player's relationship with rival fans can improve, but he thinks referees must protect him from studs, insults and possible aggressions.

«The referee is the one who has to protect the players and the game», said the Real Madrid coach.

A calmer Mourinho

The Portuguese coach also spoke about his personality and said he feels much calmer than during his first spell at the club. Mourinho admitted that he controls his emotions better and joked about the help he receives to contain his well-known temper.

«The players and the people who work here are protecting me from my dark side. I feel good like this», he said.

Will there be more signings at Real Madrid?

Mourinho believes the squad is already complete and said he has not requested any additions. However, he left a small door open because the market is still active and some player could ask to leave before it closes.

«In my head the squad is closed and I don't have any request. I'm happy», he explained.

Mbappé, Bellingham and Vinicius, together

The Madrid coach did not hide his intention to use his main attacking stars together. Mourinho wants to build a team in which Mbappé, Bellingham and Vinicius can share the spotlight.

«I want the three: Mbappé, Bellingham and Vinicius. The positive always outweighs and I'm here to try to help», he said.

An important statement for fantasy purposes, since the Portuguese coach does not seem to be considering sacrificing any of his big attacking names from the start.

Valverde will be a midfielder

Mourinho also clarified the role Federico Valverde will have. Although the Uruguayan has played as a right-back at times due to the team's needs in other stages, the Portuguese coach sees him primarily as a midfielder.

«For me he is a midfield player. He can be more positional or more mobile», he said.

The coach did not rule out that he could occupy other areas at certain moments of matches, but his main position will be in the middle of the pitch. He also mentioned the versatility of Trent Alexander-Arnold, who can play out wide and move into more central positions.

Carlos Espi can play alongside Mbappé

After Carlos Espi scored the winning goal against Espanyol, Mourinho confirmed that the young forward can share the attack with Mbappé. His introduction allowed Real Madrid to pin back a defense that was playing very close to its own goal.

«We can see Espi and Mbappé together. Espi is another profile and I thought he could be important», he explained.

The academy product presents himself as a real alternative to change games and could continue to enjoy minutes over the coming matchdays.

Tchouaméni will have to wait one or two weeks

The main news from the press conference came with Aurélien Tchouaméni. Mourinho confirmed that the midfielder has physical problems as a result of the effort made during the World Cup, and that the club has decided not to take risks with his return.

«He has a problem. The player wants to and could have continued, but we believe he has to start the season at 100 percent», he explained.

The coach added that the decision agreed with the player and the medical staff is to wait one or two weeks so that he can return fully recovered. Therefore, Tchouaméni will not be available for Real Sociedad and his progress will determine his exact return date.

The accumulation of matches

Mourinho does not consider the schedule unfair and thanked LaLiga for delaying the start of the competition by a week for Real Madrid. The Portuguese coach understands that the current pile-up of fixtures is a consequence of the team's good results in other competitions.

«We have to play three matches a week. If any player suffers more, he doesn't play and another one does», he warned.

Rotations, therefore, could gain more prominence in the coming weeks.

Endrick suffers a muscle injury that affects the tendon

To wrap up the appearance, Mourinho explained Endrick's situation. The Brazilian forward has a muscle problem that also affects the tendon, although the coach did not give a specific timeline for his recovery.

The Portuguese coach said he has full confidence in the young attacker and revealed that he rejected the possibility of a loan or a transfer during the market.

«He's a player I really like and other clubs have shown interest. I wanted him and that's why he hasn't been loaned out or sold», he said.

Mourinho also does not know whether Endrick will be ready in time for Brazil's first call-up with Carlo Ancelotti. For now, the forward will continue his recovery while Real Madrid avoids taking any risks with his physical condition.