Mourinho on Vinicius: I would never harm the team to accommodate a single player

Real Madrid travel to Valencia in this round of LaLiga. At the pre-match press conference, coach Mourinho once again voiced his dissatisfaction with the LaLiga fixture schedule. His team had only returned to Madrid from Athens on Thursday.

How is the team's condition?

I think it's pretty good. We got back from Athens at 3 AM, but everyone stayed overnight at the training base; no players went home. That was so they could get a few more hours of sleep. We had a recovery session yesterday, and the players' feedback was good. The situation is a nuisance, but there's no need to exaggerate it.

On Ronaldo's decision to retire from international football

His decision should be respected. His career is not over yet, and those who know him know he still has goals to achieve. The only thing I want to say is that I hope the day he ends his playing career is completely different from yesterday. Do I think he will become a coach? I don't know what he's thinking, but it's too early to talk about that now.

How has Valverde changed in his role as captain, and what progress has he made as a player?

I can't compare him now with last season because I didn't know him then. What I see is a very professional young man, humble and friendly. He is a good role model for everyone, and of course, I think he has a stronger sense of responsibility since becoming captain.

What is your impression of Mestalla?

I don't like to dwell on the past. I focus more on Valencia as a club than on Mestalla. The most important thing is tomorrow's match, which I believe is one of the toughest in LaLiga. Javier Aguirre is a difficult coach to face; he is experienced and knows exactly what philosophy he wants his team to follow. This game will be tough for us, and to win, we must be at our best.

Do you have a plan for rotating the squad?

I haven't thought about that yet. Konate and Dean Huijsen will play tomorrow, which is easy to understand. We will manage the players' minutes, but for now, thanks to the decision to schedule our match on Saturday, the players heading off on international duty can have Sunday off.

What result do you hope for in Sunday's match between Atlético Madrid and Barcelona?

I'd like both teams to lose, but that's impossible. Someone will always drop points, and that's the best news. Honestly, I don't care about the result.

Should this round of matches have been postponed following the passing of Jesús de Miguel?

As far as I know, tributes will be held in all competitions, which I think is very meaningful. If it were possible to speak with Jesús himself and ask for his opinion, that would be ideal. Since that's impossible, only his family and teammates can answer for him: whether they would prefer no football to be played, or for him to be remembered in Spanish competitions and stadiums at every level. I don't think any of us are qualified to answer this question.

Even knowing Vinicius is not at his best, should he still be played?

For me, the team is the most important thing. I would never do anything to harm the team's interests just to accommodate a particular player. Vinicius did play in the last two Champions League matches, but once everything returns to normal and he is back from suspension, I'll have my own plans.

As a coach, I don't think only about the current match, but also about a series of matches in the short term. The match against AEK was a suitable one for Vinicius to play, while also giving players like Güler, who was feeling a bit unwell, a rest. But I must do my best to help my players perform at their peak. You must always believe in a player's true ability; if a player isn't good enough, he isn't good enough. But good players can have off days, and he has every chance of returning to his best. If Vinicius were an ordinary player, I would say he played quite well in Athens. If he wants to get back to the form he showed last season when he knocked out Benfica, there is only one way: keep working hard. We all have faith in him, but when it comes to deciding which player to field, the team's interests always come before the individual's.

Are you afraid of the upcoming international break? Are you worried about the team's momentum being interrupted?

I'm afraid of tomorrow's match, and I mean "afraid" in quotation marks. My concern is how difficult this match will be. The national team is not something I need to worry about. If they respect the players, manage their minutes sensibly, and take good care of them... then I'm not at all worried about players having the honor of representing their countries. For me, the real issue is tomorrow's match; our opponent is physically fresh, has had a whole week to prepare, and their coach doesn't have to worry about whether the team plays attractively, only about how to win.

Do you feel the team has reached the intermediate stage you had planned?

It's best not to have to come from behind. For example, being 3-0 up at halftime in Santander is certainly better than needing a comeback. Comebacks have a positive side and a negative one. They show confidence, squad depth, team spirit, and an understanding of what the shirt means. But there's also a downside that we need to improve: we must be more consistent from the start.