Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho emphasized that he does not want a welcome from the team's fans during the match against Real Sociedad.
Jose Mourinho
Club: Real Madrid
Real Madrid is preparing to face Real Sociedad tomorrow, Wednesday, in a postponed match from the first round of the Spanish league.
Mourinho said during the pre-match press conference: "The match against Sociedad will be our first at home, but it is one of 19 important matches. Our goal is to win and to respect a team that deserves respect."
He continued, "Sociedad is a strong team with excellent players, and they will make the match difficult for us. Against Espanyol, we felt the support of the opponent's fans for their team. Tomorrow, we hope for the same for us. I hope the team has the same desire to win and the strength, and I hope the fans see that."
He added, "Espanyol showed a level of sharpness that we do not have. We have a good base with players who have trained for a longer period. Participating in matches accelerates the process of reaching peak physical condition. Players need to play matches like Kuku. We use objective and scientific data and combine it with my experience, and feeling is also important."
He went on, "I do not want the Bernabeu stadium to welcome me in any way, but I want them to welcome the team with great passion. At some point last season, that passion was going through a difficult phase. Now we are starting from scratch. I am not the most important person, and I am able to control my emotions. All I want is for the players to feel different from how they felt last season."
Regarding refereeing, he said: "I did not watch every match last season, so I cannot tell you much. What I can say is that the general difference in the treatment of Vinicius compared to other players is clear. He has entered a vortex. Opponents feel they can do whatever they want with him, and that is what is happening. It is like children; they do not go beyond the limits allowed to them. It is a treatment I do not like."
He concluded, "Vinicius was kicked, which is an aggressive act, and it should have been a red card. Apart from a few things, I liked the refereeing a lot. I understand that the referee did not see that red card because of the kick Vinicius received, and I understand that the fourth official did not want to send him off. I can say that the video referee did not do his job well, but I always trust Spanish referees, even in the Champions League. I do not think about things like 'this is Nigreira's friend' or similar. No, they have made decisions that affected match results, but that happens."
Regarding Vinicius's decline in form, he said: "There are things that happen on and off the pitch. If his reaction is not racist, I think he can control it and improve it. The match, interventions, and penalties are the referee's responsibility, and I prefer to say 'referee' instead of 'official' in this case. With my personality, if they did that to me, I might have received a red card. Vinicius's relationship with opposing fans is something we can work on."
He emphasized, "I feel calmer and control my emotions better. Of course, we will go through difficult situations, but I have not seen anyone lazy. I liked that they work for Real Madrid. Perhaps also because the players and the people working here are trying to protect me from my dark side."
He continued, "For me, our team is complete. Of course, the transfer market is still open, and you cannot know if anyone will come and say they want to leave; that is something that can happen. But in my mind, the market is over, and I have not made any other requests. I am happy, and if any player leaves, I will remain happy."
Regarding the tactical harmony between Bellingham, Vinicius, and Mbappe, he said: "I will not address the most complex situation regarding that, because the most complex situation is when you do not have high-level players or when injury prevents you from relying on players of great quality. I do not want to leave myself exposed to the opponent and only discover it after playing and losing. I want the three players, and the positives are always greater than the negatives. I am also here to try to help them."
He revealed, "We can watch Mbappe and Isco together. Our development during the pre-season was with Endrick. Isco is a different player. Espanyol were playing with a deep defensive line, and Mbappe was dropping back to try to play individually, so I thought Isco might be important. Also, Arnold added quality."
He added, "Chouamini suffered a lot at the World Cup. He played in the semi-final and suffered from a problem, and the break was not enough. He wants to try to play, but we decided that he will not start the season while suffering."
He concluded, "Endrick is suffering from a muscle problem that affects the tendon. He is a player I love very much and has received a lot of offers and interest from other clubs. I wanted him, which is why I did not loan or sell him. I am not sure if he will be in Ancelotti's starting lineup, but Carolo is a friend of mine and will call me directly."
Real Madrid won the first match against Espanyol 2-1.
