The Portuguese coach spoke about his return to the club after 13 years, praised Mbappé, recalled the classics against Barcelona, and assured that he will approach this new stage with a more dialogical perspective
One of the inevitable topics was the situation of Kylian Mbappé, the main figure of the Madrid team. Although he avoided going into detail about the Frenchman before starting the daily work, he did not hold back on praise. "I have to see him with my own eyes. I need to get to know the players. He is a phenomenal player and I will try to help him become even better", he expressed.
José Mourinho has already begun his second stint at Real Madrid and, before taking charge of the training sessions, made it clear what led him to accept the challenge. Thirteen years after his departure, the Portuguese coach assured that his bond with the club remains intact and acknowledged the sentimental weight it had in his decision to return.
"I do not deny that I love Real Madrid and that is why I am coming back", he stated in an interview with Vanity Fair Portugal. However, he also emphasized that he returns with a different perspective than in his first term. "I am here to help everyone, not to criticize or to talk, but to listen", he pointed out.
"The Special One" explained that his intention is to build a closer relationship with the squad and prioritize dialogue in daily management. "It is time to stay calm, analyze, communicate, ask questions, and establish a fluid and honest dialogue", he maintained. In the same vein, he rejected the criticisms that have labeled him for taking too prominent a role within the teams he managed over the years. "I never wanted to be more important than my players, I wasn't and I don't want to be", he assured.
The Portuguese coach also recalled the classics against Barcelona that marked an era in world football, driven by the historic rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. "I loved playing those matches. I didn't watch them, I played them. And I was fascinated. The world stopped to watch them", he recalled. He also highlighted the global impact those encounters had. "Cristiano and Messi were the two best players in the world", he stated about the figures who dominated one of the most memorable stages of the rivalry between both giants of Spanish football.
Related to the derby, Mourinho also left a phrase that will surely resonate in Catalonia: "Real Madrid is the best club in the world. Barcelona is also one of the best, but after Madrid". Beyond the individual names, the Portuguese emphasized that the greatness of the club transcends any generation of footballers. "It is not about the history of so many incredible players who played for Real Madrid. It is about the club and the titles. I believe that the white shirts have something magical, but the reality is that they could be black, green, or blue and it wouldn't change anything because what has made Real what it is, is its history", he added.
Finally, he summarized the spirit with which he approaches this new stage at the Santiago Bernabéu. "That is in the club's DNA. When we talk about Real Madrid, we talk about the history of football and football legacy. In the end, what I want is to help the players, the team, and the club to improve", he concluded.
