Mourinho: We Decided the Match in the First Half

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho expressed satisfaction with his team's convincing 4-1 victory over Rayo Vallecano in the fifth round of La Liga.

"These are three very important points. It's always crucial to win, especially after our last league match," Mourinho commented.

"We practically decided the outcome of the match in the first half, which isn't easy considering we played Inter in the Champions League just three days ago. Such matches are tough not only physically but also psychologically," the Portuguese coach explained.

"I saw the fatigue in the players, I tried to make changes, and we found stability. The players deserve my respect and applause because we quickly killed off the intrigue in a match that could have been difficult," Mourinho emphasized.

"We score a lot of goals, but we also miss a huge number of chances. In attack, we operate with great intensity. We are not a team that holds onto the ball for long before shooting – we play at a furious pace, and when you speed up the game, it becomes harder to make the right decisions. One day, all of this will pay off, and we will score 6-7 goals when all chances are converted and everything finds the back of the net," stated the Real Madrid boss.

"I am very pleased with how quickly we secured the victory. As for the second half, I completely understand the reaction to it, but there's a valid reason. Valverde's substitution was a precautionary measure – he played against Inter with a slight injury, so we need to manage his workload. We won and achieved a result quickly – just three days after a tough match," Mourinho reiterated.

"It's not always possible to press high. In matches like today's, it's normal for the team to operate deeper in their own half. In games against strong opponents, it's natural for them to create chances or even score, but this was an important and deserved victory," added 'The Special One'.