Mourinho Reveals Another New Real Madrid Starter and Offers Intriguing Ballon d'Or Opinion

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho addressed the media ahead of tomorrow's home fixture against newly promoted Malaga. The 'Los Blancos' have started strongly under the 'Special One', securing two wins from their opening two matches.

"Physically, we are in good shape. Some players had different pre-season preparations, but we have a strong squad. Marc Cucurella will start. If he runs out of gas, we have Alvaro (Carreras) to step in."

"I'd prefer our starting lineup not to leak to the media. If it does, it's not a huge deal. It only matters if we're making a significant tactical change, like starting Espi and Mbappé together or playing with a three-man defense. If it leaks that Cucurella is starting, it's not a big secret," Mourinho began.

"Vinicius and Mbappé? This is everyone's team. Quality is key. Then comes the understanding between people, and it's very strong between them. It's not about two plus nine, but about eleven. About a team. That's how we'll be better. I couldn't be happier."

"Bellingham is a unique player, very important for the team in various aspects. Impressive. I like to talk about the team. I'm very happy with everyone. We need to function as a unit. Real fans come to the Bernabéu to watch these difference-makers, but also to see their team play as one, to dominate the opposition. Diomande? He arrived late at Real Madrid, he's progressing gradually. He's getting more and more ready," the Portuguese added.

Regarding injured players, the 'Special One' noted: "Endrick is closest to returning. He might be ready for the Betis match, but I won't risk confirming it. With Tchouaméni, we need to control his emotions and desire to play. I don't want him in and out of the squad. I prefer to wait."

Mourinho then offered a curious opinion on the Ballon d'Or: "On an individual level, it's wonderful. Few win it. We have three or four players of that caliber. It should be won by someone whose absence is felt after they stop playing: Maradona, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano, Messi, Matthäus... You can't give the Ballon d'Or just for winning the Champions League or the World Cup. There are three or four such players, and we know their place – here. And we know who made history this summer. But if politics gets involved, I don't like it as much. He's not at PSG or with the Spanish national team. He's someone else."

Spanish media immediately interpreted this as support for Kylian Mbappé.

Mourinho also praised Real Madrid's young talents. "I want to say that Arbeloa's work down below has been fantastic. Up here, the music is different. I like all the lads who are coming up. I really like Tiago Pitarch. He's part of the first team, but his leg muscles are like mine. He needs to build muscle mass there. As do others."

Finally, the Portuguese expressed concern about the upcoming international break, which starts after September 20th and lasts until October 6th.