José Mourinho: The Season for Real Madrid Won't Be Successful Without a Trophy

The highly anticipated return of José Mourinho to the Real Madrid dugout is now a reality. This Saturday evening, he will make his second debut as Real Madrid visits Espanyol in a La Liga Matchday 2 fixture. "The Whites" did not play in the first round last week due to their numerous international players, with their match against Real Sociedad rescheduled for August 26. Here's what the Portuguese manager had to say on various topics during his press conference:

How are you?
I'm fine… this is the first official match of the season. This has been happening to me for over 20 years, so I'm calm. It's just another season, nothing more. Regarding the squad – as you rightly said, it's difficult to start with different groups. Some players have had 36 training sessions and 6 matches, while others have had fewer. We have exceptional footballers, and the staff is also very good. We managed to prepare specialized training for each of them. There were times when one player was surrounded by 10 members of the team. We're tired of friendlies. We're not in love with this job because of the checks… we want real matches. I don't expect those injured from last season to recover in the first few weeks… The only player unavailable for this match is Endrick, who has a slight muscle issue. Tchouaméni is fine, but he needs to train today and tomorrow to see how his recovery progresses.

The Debut
We have scouted the opponent. Espanyol is a good team, well-prepared, with established habits. They play strongly and with ambition. I really liked their first match (3-0 against Levante - editor's note). Three points and zero goals conceded. Their fans are happy, and a good start and a home win are always motivating. We are prepared for what awaits us.

Do you feel the pressure?
I wouldn't call it pressure. I'd call it adrenaline, which comes… and it's a positive adrenaline that I want. The day I don't feel it, something will be wrong. But pressure – no. I have immense confidence in the work we've done, and a lot of confidence in the players' ambition. In their mental attitude, in the passion they show me, and, of course, it will be a tough match… but tomorrow, when we board the plane, we will already be filled with confidence.

Diomande said he would die for you
That's an expression; we won't follow it word for word. It's an expression I like… but I'd prefer its meaning to be more about being available to José and the group… The truth is, words are often easy, but then you have to turn them into actions. His words are no different from what I see in everyone else. Everyone is fully committed, eager to do things right, the group is united… We are not a perfect group, because such a thing doesn't exist. Problems will come, but fundamentally, the group is strong… and Diomande's message applies to everyone.

What's your opinion on the incident between Tchouaméni and Valverde?
I arrived with a lot of information… I was here for three years and had my contacts and a good information base. I had understood quite a few things, but I decided to start from scratch. From the first day Tchouaméni arrived, I was careful and didn't need to speak. Without knowing about the problem, I saw them both arrive and thought: "You can't imagine what happened last season." They told me: "You don't need to talk to either of us, or do anything to bring peace." It was as if nothing had happened.

Mbappé, Bellingham, and Vinicius
These are incredible players, and they want to play with other incredible players. Top-level players get frustrated when they play with footballers who are not at the same level. They need to understand and follow my pace of execution… and that's why they need to play with the best. Tactical preparation might be a bit more difficult. It's harder for Mourinho to find a place for all three, but we're working on it. I don't like them doing something because they feel I'm forcing them. I don't think their positions are incompatible. I have immense confidence that we will have a great season.

How do you view the upcoming season?
There are many ways to look at it. Ultimately, the only way to know is through results. There are many things we've had and that we will try to change, but results are what matter. We are competing in three tournaments (La Liga, Champions League, and Copa del Rey - editor's note) and one smaller one (Spanish Super Cup - editor's note). Finishing without trophies does not mean a successful season.

The team leaders
I am happy with everyone, and I think the leaders are starting to get to know me. They have the ability to observe, analyze, and understand me well. I don't speak for them to get to know me – I want them to get to know me through observation. Currently, they are playing a bit more defensively, but the cohesion of the group and mutual empathy are palpable. Every morning at 8:00 AM, we have a staff meeting, and we try to convey all of this. The captains haven't truly had the opportunity to fulfill their role as captains yet… because the difficult moments will come. The players help me a lot in preventing problems from arising.

What the team needs
We need to be a team, work well, and not compromise on things that shouldn't be compromised. Moments of disappointment will come – they are inevitable. For the first time, this moment will arrive tomorrow, because for the first time, I will name the starting lineup. Some will start, and others will remain on the bench. They will have to be able to accept this both individually and as a group. I don't want easy solutions, because to celebrate at the end of the season, we need to know how to get through difficult moments.

The defensive work of the forwards
It's different in every match. We have to defend with 11 players. If you ask me: "What does that mean?", it can mean many things. Everyone has to defend. If we press high, we don't allow them to bring the ball out, and they won't have to defend. They have to play and crush. It's one thing to work with high pressure, and another to close down spaces. Some will really have to press. The response from everyone so far has been very good.

Vinicius and his contract renewal
The news was no surprise. When I arrived, I understood everything and asked if he wanted to stay. They told me yes, that the issue was related to the numbers… but he wanted to stay. Then I calmed down. I don't want to evaluate whether he is the best in the world or one of the best. And the best must be here.

Is it clear to you what Vinicius wants and what you demand from him?
I don't know the reason, because he had some problem before. I don't know. What I see is that he wants to win. He undoubtedly knows what I want. I think he's happy, he feels comfortable with how we prepare for matches, and he wants to win from day one. Before he signed, every brief conversation we had ended with: "We will improve, we will start winning again, we will be happy." We have always been guided by that.

The new project begins
Already. It depends on what exactly you mean. This is already my team – for better or worse. If we're talking about the concept of the perfect team, we'll never see it. Every day is an opportunity for improvement. I like teams that have the same coach for years, because that builds better relationships and dynamics. But no one will wait for us.

The ideal starting lineup
The players already know who will play; my job is not to hide that. Perhaps in a few hours, the information will reach you (the journalists - editor's note). I don't have an ideal starting lineup, and even if I did, I don't want to have one. I want the door to competition to be open. There are many matches, we will have periods with three games in a short time… and then a "vacation" due to the international break. We know how we want to press, how to be compact, how to play against a team that uses different formations.

Rodri
We don't have a deficit of players… he would have been the icing on the cake. Rodri is a great player with immense experience, but when you have Tchouaméni, Valverde, Bernardo, or Arda, who can play in those positions, then you understand that we won't have problems.

What do you think about the youth players?
Tomorrow, three of them will be on the bench. We don't have a particularly deep squad… and the injured players will be out for a long time. I like to work with a maximum of 20-22 players, and these youngsters play in the positions we need right now. They won't always be the same, because I want to motivate them and let them know that the door is open. This is something that is valued at La Fábrica.