Mourinho: Vinicius criticized because people only throw stones at fruitful trees

In this round of the league, Real Madrid will host Rayo Vallecano. Coach Mourinho introduced the team's preparations at the pre-match press conference.

How is the team doing?

Everyone is happy and united, and training has been good. Good training performance means good recovery. Today's training focused on tactical drills and was not very intense. We respect our opponents; they won their last game and showed their strength, so we must be very focused tomorrow. I want to take this opportunity to thank San José (Rayo Vallecano coach) for his kind words about me. He was too modest; I'm not that good. I'll give him a big hug when I see him tomorrow.

Where should the 2030 World Cup final be held?

Where it should be held is one thing, and where I want it to be held is another. Excuse me (laughs), I hope it's in Lisbon. I'm not saying this because I'm the Real Madrid coach, but because it's a legendary stadium with a rich history and many classic matches. The final should be there.

The referee committee finally confirmed that a penalty kick does not need to be retaken. What are your thoughts?

I'm not surprised, because the refereeing community is very protective of each other. It's very rare and difficult for them to criticize a specific decision. Unity is strength.

Vinicius has sparked polarizing opinions. What do you think?

There's a Portuguese proverb, I don't know if it's the same in Spain: "People only throw stones at trees that bear fruit." What has Vinicius done these past few years? How many Champions Leagues has he won? How many goals has he scored? He's like a fruit-bearing tree, and people throw stones at him because he bears fruit.

Sooner or later we will see the best Vinicius. Last season, when the Bernabéu (audience) was scared of the match against Benfica, he led the team to advance. That Vinicius will come back.

This is an era where data and statistics reign supreme. He is very close to his top speed. He has broken his career records for sprint speed, tackles, and ball recoveries in the attacking third... He will return to his best form.

Is it time for rotation? Is it Diomande's turn?

I don't want to reveal who will play, I won't say it here. I'm not thinking about the next three games, only about tomorrow's game. I want to win, but there is room for adjustment... maybe not a rotation, but we can inject fresh blood and try with players who are physically fit. We put in a huge effort for Tuesday's game, and now Camavinga, Bernardo Silva, and Arda (Arda Güler) are all back. We have a strong squad and can give some opportunities to physically fit players, allowing others time to rest. We have to play 3 games in 9 days, and then Elche in three days... but for now, our focus is on how to win tomorrow. In terms of personnel, the most crucial thing is to bring in two or three players who didn't play last time to inject some vitality into the team.

You said you don't comment on public opinion, but how do you feel when you hear a player like Vinicius being booed by the whole stadium?

I don't want to comment. It's neither a criticism of anyone nor the time to comment; it's not my place to comment.

I'm quite sad because I'm very strict with my players. The other day I saw an interview with Heuysen where he said I was annoying, always following everyone around. That's true, I'm very strict. My demand is absolute commitment, and I respect players who give their all. He wants to play, he wants to help the team, he has team spirit, and he fights for his badge. I will always support such players. It doesn't mean such players will always play, but it means I'm always on his side.

I'm sad when Vinicius is booed, but I don't want to comment on or criticize the audience. But in my experience, not just at Real Madrid, but at any club, when the team and fans are united, they are almost invincible. I still hold the world record for being unbeaten at home in top leagues, having not lost at home for six or seven years... I can't remember the exact details. But when you are one with the entire stadium, you are invincible. However, the audience in every stadium has the right to react at specific moments.

Mbappe responded to external criticism. What do you think?

The proverb used to describe Vinicius also applies to Mbappe: "He is a tree that bears fruit." He's right, a player who can score 40 goals in a single season is never the team's problem.

When you can make players friends and respect each other... think about how good that would be. As a coach, I value and appreciate this very much. Some people talk about football but don't deeply understand it, while others understand football, but talking about negative things benefits them more.

I saw Cucurella on the left wing, almost exhausted, and Kilian (Mbappe) too, when the team was down to ten men in the final stages. I saw all of that. As a coach, I truly value this kind of behavior; it makes me so happy. Some people understand football as well as I do, and they watched the game, but they don't say these things. Instead, after the game, they say we didn't defend well, and that we could have conceded three or four goals. They also won't say we could have scored eight.

Some games are boring, and we might play such games too. In some Champions League matches, both sides are timid and take no risks, and the fans leave disappointed. Yes, we could have conceded four goals, but we could also have scored eight. Some people understand football as well as I do, but they don't say it. Why? Are they unhappy that we won? We are united. We dropped points against Betis, but our commitment remains unchanged, and we will do our best to make the fans happy.

You talked about Courtois last time. How important is he?

He's not worried, and neither is the club. Everyone understands each other well and knows that everyone's goal is the same. As a goalkeeper, he is still young, and he has decided not to play in the Nations League for the national team, so he can focus more and have more rest during the international break. Didn't he just play a brilliant game?

Can Valverde and Tchouameni play together? After the commotion at the end of last season, have you assessed this possibility?

I didn't do anything; they did it themselves. The team has understanding, camaraderie, and they share wins and losses together. Even if they get angry when substituted, they still support their teammates on the field. My answer is not specific to the situation of Valverde and Tchouameni; the whole team is in great shape. For instance, if I knew nothing about it, I would think they were good friends. To be honest, when Aurélien (Tchouameni) first arrived, I did pay extra attention because I wanted to know if I needed to intervene as a peacemaker (laughs), but in the end, I didn't do anything; they sorted it out themselves.

Does the F1 event significantly affect the team's daily preparations?

When I don't stay overnight at Valdebebas, I usually leave at 7:15 AM. Today, I left at 6:30 AM, so I slept 45 minutes less. Our training didn't change just because you couldn't come. We didn't do anything for the first 15 minutes (laughs), and then for the next 45 minutes, we did tactical drills. Tomorrow we have two options: go directly to the base, or come here (the stadium) first, park the car, and then take the team bus to the base. Stefano Domenicali (F1 Chairman) and I are good friends. I have tickets, but I'm the kind of guy who can't live without winning. If I can't win, life has no meaning. If I get happy, I might get carried away.

Do you think any F1 team is like Real Madrid?

I have to be careful with what I say because they are all very good to me. The global impact generated by a club or a team represents more than just a club or a team... red is always red (Ferrari), and what Antonelli is doing at Mercedes is simply incredible. But, even without a car that can compete for wins, or even a car that can score points, Fernando (Alonso) and I are friends. I really like his personality, even if the car he is given is not good, he has always been the best driver. I really like this sport.

You said some people are unhappy when Real Madrid wins.

I didn't see anything, but these people are annoying (pointing jokingly at Real Madrid's press officer), they handed me the Bible as soon as I got here. (Laughter in the room)