Jose Mourinho arrived three minutes ahead of schedule for his first press conference as Real Madrid manager on Friday, underlining a clear set of expectations: dedication cannot be compromised, competition for places will be intense and players will not be allowed to sulk over selection decisions. Three days after his official presentation in a private ceremony, Mourinho spoke to reporters for more than 40 minutes at the club’s Valdebebas training centre ahead of today’s LaLiga opener away to Espanyol, maintaining a notably calm and controlled tone throughout.
Real Madrid begin the campaign after two consecutive seasons without a major trophy, while pressure has also surrounded president Florentino Perez despite his recent re-election. Mourinho, however, dismissed the suggestion that the club was consumed by fear or nervousness.
He described the prevailing atmosphere instead as one of expectation, with the squad eager for meaningful competition to begin after a series of preparation matches.
“We have had enough of friendly games,” Mourinho said. “Football is not what we love because of friendlies; everyone is eager to return to competitive action. I would not call the feeling here pressure. It is adrenaline, and that surge is a good thing. I do not feel under pressure because I believe strongly in the work we have done and in the desire and commitment of the players.”
The Portuguese coach repeatedly underlined the need for a collective mindset in a squad filled with high-profile talent, insisting that personal priorities must be subordinate to the team’s interests.
He said certain standards were not open to discussion, with commitment required from every player. The team, he added, had to come before individual emotions, and the opening fixture would provide the first serious test of that principle. Mourinho noted that he could not name 15 starters, meaning several players would inevitably be disappointed.
Rather than choosing the simplest route by leaving out anyone who reacted badly to a place on the bench, Mourinho said he wanted to make difficult calls and see players respond positively. His preference was for footballers who used disappointment as motivation, worked harder and fought to regain their place.
Mourinho also discussed how he intends to combine Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr without sacrificing the side’s balance. He does not regard their roles as impossible to reconcile and remains confident that Real can enjoy a successful season, although he acknowledged that he cannot construct three separate teams around them in the way Brazil does for Vinicius, France does for Mbappe and England does for Bellingham. Finding a system that gives all three an effective role is more complicated, he admitted, but it is the challenge facing him.
The manager also indicated that the late-season dressing-room confrontation between Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde was no longer an issue. After monitoring the relationship since Tchouameni joined the club, Mourinho said he had seen no reason to arrange a formal reconciliation. He had watched the situation from a distance and observed only normal relations, peace, friendship and mutual support, as though the incident had never occurred. Mourinho said he had therefore chosen to treat the matter as a fresh start for both players.
