José Mourinho spoke highly of AEK and its “fortress” during the customary press conference. The “Special One” emphasized that Real Madrid must take the “yellow-and-blacks” very seriously, describing them as very strong at home.
Here’s what José Mourinho had to say in detail:
On the match against AEK: “We have to be very serious. We’re far from qualifying directly. We need points. AEK is very strong at home; we’ll play with seriousness. The fact that Real Madrid has won a European match in Athens means a lot. We have to give it our all and take this very seriously because we need points.”
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
On the shock of De Miguel’s death: “No one wants to go through this. It affects everyone. For people like us who are in soccer and on the field, this is something very difficult and sad. The grief is indescribable. My condolences to his loved ones. It’s a difficult time for the other player involved in the accident.”
On his impressions of the match against Roma: “Of course. What happened was significant—winning a match that seemed lost. Emotionally, it fills us with positive thoughts. As a turning point, though, I don’t think so. I believe the work we’re doing is paying off; in every practice, we’re improving and getting to know each other better. Every experience we go through helps us get to know each other better as a team.”
On whether the current Real Madrid team is better than the previous one: “I don’t like comparisons. These are different players. We’re talking about many years ago. This team has tremendous momentum. That team had momentum too; it won many titles. This team hasn’t won anything yet. We’ll see what the future holds. I’m happy with the players I have.”
On whether it would be different for him to win the trophy with Real Madrid: “It would be my third Champions League title. The third with three different teams. I’d be doing it with the greatest team in the world. But we’re talking about hypothetical scenarios here. I want to focus on reality, and we need points to qualify. We need to pick up more points. We’ve already played against tough opponents, and tomorrow we have another tough game. We have to win tomorrow.”
On Valverde: “He’s an important player for the team. He’s the captain; he sees things differently from those around him. He carries a lot of responsibility on his shoulders and will play any position. He’ll play left winger or wherever he’s needed. He’s the captain. Our team is built around Valverde being in the center. That doesn’t mean, however, that he can’t play elsewhere. Since there’s a shortage in the center, he’ll definitely play there as well. I’m pleased with his performance as a winger, but he can contribute in every position.”
On how he’ll use Vinícius: “We have many talented players with great quality on the wings. That’s not a bad thing; the problem is not having options. Diomande plays on both flanks, as does Edrick. Vinícius adapts better on the left side.”
On the fact that he said the match against AEK is difficult: “They’re the champions of their country. Athens and Greece are tough for us. Real Madrid won there only once last year. It’s been many years since I’ve played with my team in Greece, and the atmosphere here is tough. AEK has had tough matches in the Champions League; they’ve faced difficult opponents. Teams playing at home always fight for points. They’re highly motivated, especially against Real Madrid. We have to play at our absolute best.”
On what it will take for Real Madrid to reach perfection: “Three seasons.”
*photo source: AP
