Mourinho: Mbappe's speed training with F1 roar might add another gear

Thanks to a hat-trick from Mbappe and a goal from Vinicius, Real Madrid defeated Real Sociedad 4-1 at home in the league. Coach Mourinho praised the team's attitude in the second half during his post-match interview.

Photo: Real Madrid official website

Below is the content of the quick post-match interview.

Match assessment

Real Sociedad is a very good team and caused us a lot of trouble. In such games, I really hope for a water break, so I can give instructions to the players around the 25th minute. We were caught off guard. Although they didn't pose many threats, it was difficult to press them. Before the substitutions in the second half, we were always uneasy, but we remained calm, and the team performed very strongly in the second half. I don't like to evaluate individual players, but Mbappe's performance was extraordinary, simply too strong.

About Mbappe

He can score goals, he's creative, and when the team is in trouble, he drops back to combine with teammates, helping the team push forward and create threats. He played an incredible game, and the team was always a unit. It was a great game with many high-level individual performances. The defenders completely controlled the situation, the midfielders operated like a precise machine, not to mention the forwards... We could have scored more goals, but given Real Sociedad's performance, they must be very disappointed to go home having conceded four goals.

About Bellingham and Vinicius

We can talk about them both, and Bernardo, Federico (Valverde)... The team is in excellent form. We have high-level players. They are united, and the fans recognize that.

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It's even more beautiful here than before. Winning feels great. I was calm before the match; after all, I've been working for so many years. I have a group of excellent players, so I enjoy it, both as a coach and as someone who loves football.

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Playing at the Bernabéu, I'm calm. I'm not too nervous before every game. Of course, I enjoyed the trip with Benfica; it was a tough game, and we couldn't withstand Real Madrid's pressure.

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Although Real Sociedad didn't create many chances, they scored with their only shot on target in the first half. They maintained their shape well, and their coach is excellent too. The distance between their two center-backs was very wide, making them difficult to press. In such games, I would really like to have a water break, but there wasn't one, so I could only make adjustments at halftime. In the second half, we scored three goals; it could have been four, but Real Sociedad played well. In the second half, Jude (Bellingham), Vinicius, and others performed at a high level.

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I don't like to compare players, but this guy (Mbappe) is amazing. I'm glad he made history at the World Cup, because there are 25 world champions, but only one will be forever remembered: the one who scored the most goals and made history.

He is eager to make history at Real Madrid. I see a good team, even without Kylian (Mbappe). It's a great team. We had some difficulties in the first half, but we knew how to play as a unit: patiently waiting, staying calm and compact... We held the ball and improved further in the second half. Maybe it's because he trains to the roar of the Madrid circuit (F1 Spanish Grand Prix), his speed has also increased by one or two gears... I really liked the team's performance in the second half.

Forwards involved in pressing

I always say that in my career, I've coached many teams, some with incredible players, some with good players but not top-tier. I always say that, for these top players, they should be taught how to play as a unit; there's not much need to teach them at the individual skill level. When the team's attacking organization is blocked, Kylian has excellent individual ability. He is not a typical striker who only scores or waits for the team to feed him. He drops back to initiate attacks, made a wall pass with Jude, and then arrived in front of the goal.

His strength is outstanding, everyone knows that. Kylian's performance is evident, but if I were to assess the players one by one, I would say the two center-backs were dominant, Bernardo and Federico also completed their tasks excellently, and Jude created chances and contributed defensively. I really liked the second half, but I also liked the team's calmness when facing difficulties. We will encounter difficulties in many games, and I like the team's composure in the face of adversity. I am very satisfied.

There were boos from the stands before halftime.

We already know what the Bernabéu is like; the players are well aware of it. Those who have just joined are experiencing this atmosphere for the first time, but we are used to it. The team's history and high demands have created such a fan base. Real Madrid always has great players and strong squads, so fans demand more and more. Secondly, being a fan is one thing, and being a player or coach is another. They can have their emotions because they paid money, and we are in this position because we have the ability to calmly face difficulties, which many top teams often cannot do.

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Against Espanyol, we faced other difficulties, but the team knew how to manage its emotions, and in the end, we got the desired result: three points. We made the fans feel this way when they left, knowing what we can do, and we will do it many times again in the future: win the third, fourth, and fifth games.

At one point on the field, we were unsure who to press. When we couldn't win the ball, we waited. We stayed compact and patient; they had more possession. At halftime, we adjusted two or three positions, and the game changed; the players won the match.

Boos and applause

Both the boos and the final applause were understandable. The fans were indeed disappointed at the time, and when people are disappointed, a few boos do no harm to anyone and can even help you grow. But some matches have to be won through adversity. La Liga teams play very well; they have excellent coaches and players, like to control the ball, and are not afraid to face strong teams. In other leagues, weaker teams might simply defend against stronger sides. But whether it is Espanyol or Real Sociedad, both strive to play their own style and try to win, which is also commendable.

How do you evaluate your own work?

I don't have to evaluate it publicly. As long as a person does their best, nothing more can be asked of them. As for whether it's good or not, others should evaluate that. I'm satisfied with our current work. Pre-season preparation is tough; some players had 39 training sessions, while others only had 6 or 7, like Cucurella and Diamanti. It's not easy to make the team perform better than it is now. Thanks to the wisdom and common sense of La Liga, we had an extra week to prepare. Oyarzabal showed fatigue after playing five minutes in the second half, and Bellingham could have been the same, but maybe his fitness is better. We're not doing badly, after all. We ultimately speak with points, and we have won both games, taking all six points.

Can Mbappe score 60 goals in a single season?

Kylian is an incredible player. I don't know if he can score 50 or 60 goals, but I'd rather he score 40 goals and actively contribute to the team and win titles, rather than focus only on scoring 60 goals, which is the norm for many forwards. I am very satisfied with him. Technically, I have nothing to say, but in terms of helping the team grow, taking responsibility, and defensive effort, he still has room for improvement. He returned to the team two days early, and in the pre-season phase, two days early can bring many positive effects. I kept him on the field for 90 minutes, thinking he might score a fourth goal. After Vinicius scored, I immediately decided to substitute him.

What were you most dissatisfied with in this match?

I don't like players going out to warm up at halftime. I want everyone to stay in the locker room because what I say at halftime is not only for the players on the field, but also for those who may come on later.

Our fitness coach knew from the 35th minute that the substitutes needed to start warming up, and I decided to replace Carreras with Cucurella because he had a yellow card. Playing 90 minutes with a yellow card was too risky, as he had to defend Kubo, who is very good at one-on-ones.

I am satisfied with all aspects, including the team's performance during the phases that weren't so good. I am satisfied with the team's reaction to difficulties because the players were prepared for a different game situation. They did cause us problems with their runs, the distance between the center-backs, and Oyarzabal's deep retreats. We were a bit hesitant on the field. When you hesitate, you shouldn't panic; you have to believe that we will eventually win the game, so I am very satisfied.

Substituting Vinicius

We both speak Portuguese, so it's easier to joke around. If Vinicius hadn't scored and wasn't feeling good, I would never have substituted him. I substituted him because he needed some rest, and we have another game in three days. I think it was a good time to substitute him after he scored, to let him hear the fans' applause.

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