In a recently concluded La Liga match, Real Madrid defeated Rayo Vallecano 4-1 at home. Coach Mourinho explained his selection choices for this game at the post-match press conference.

Would Real Madrid play better with Güler starting?

I agree. He was very involved in the game, but I am 100% sure that if Diomande hadn't started today, your first question would be when will Diomande start?

Everyone is on our bench except for the injured players. Just look at the squad, and you can see our strong bench depth. Arda Güler is excellent, Brahim played brilliantly against Inter, Diomande is working hard to improve himself, and I will continue with Vinícius until he returns to his best form. We have a strong squad, Güler is excellent and very talented. He stabilized the game when he came on.

How do you explain the team's performance drop after halftime?

We basically played for 45 minutes in this game, and there's not much to say about what came after. The team lacked the physical and mental energy to play like in the first half, made more mistakes, struggled with pressing, and dropped deeper, allowing the opponent to push forward. With my Champions League experience, I knew today's game might unfold similarly. Our goal was to start with intensity and finish the match as quickly as possible, and we did that.

Regardless of the process, you want to win. But is there anything about the team's performance that concerns you?

I am very satisfied. We have been working together for three months, but not everyone has been present the entire time. Building a perfect team is impossible; perfection does not exist in football. We have many positives in our current performance, and we will continue to strive for improvement.

What do you think of Diomande's performance in his first start?

I am old, so I don't feel pressure, but as a coach, you have different squads at your disposal. Sometimes you can only pray that no one gets injured, and other times you have many choices. He will get better and better; he has had very little exposure to high-level European football and still has a lot to learn. His potential is obvious; he is physically strong and can provide us with many options. He can play on the right wing or in Vinícius's position, and I have to make a choice. I hope he continues to grow because I know very well what he can bring to the team.

What do you think of Vinícius's performance?

His physical condition is nearly at its peak, just slightly below his top speed. His ability to make repeated sprints is very strong, and I have high defensive demands on him, which he is gradually adapting to. He is a mentally strong young man who knows this club very well. He has always carried great responsibility, whether at Real Madrid or with the Brazilian national team. He is calm and knows his body well; he is getting back into form. The most important thing now is to provide assists and actively contribute from a defensive perspective; goals will come sooner or later.

Why did you bring on Cucurella with two minutes left in the game at 3-1?

It's easy to explain. I wanted to win and score as many goals as possible, but we were 3-1 up with five minutes remaining, and Rayo's right-back is a very good player—strong in attack, quick, with great strength and impressive repeated-sprint ability, constantly causing trouble on the right. I thought it was best to close off that channel completely. In my opinion, this was no longer the time for fancy tricks and scoring more goals. Later we scored a fourth goal, which was even better.

AF's PC site is now live! Browse full news, comments, match details and stats on your computer. Visit: www.allfootballapp.com