It was anything but an ordinary night for Real Madrid against Inter Milan, even though the final score stopped at just 2-1. After the final whistle, José Mourinho came out with comments that made it clear the Portuguese manager saw a completely different game than simply a match decided by a one-goal margin.
Mourinho spoke about a game that could have ended with much crazier scorelines, while also revealing which player caught his attention the most. He delivered a strong message regarding the Man of the Match award and spoke openly about Vinicius Junior, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Tchouaméni, and even the whistles from the Real Madrid fans.
Mourinho said the match could have ended 5-1, 6-1, or even 6-6, describing it as a crazy game. However, he admitted that he does not like that kind of madness because he prefers to have control over everything and not need a great goalkeeper like Thibaut Courtois, whom he considered the best player on the pitch.
Mourinho also delivered a fiery comment about the Man of the Match award, saying that he did not want to take anything away from Fede, but that he felt the person who handed out the award might have been asleep and had not watched the game. He then asked directly: if Courtois does not receive the award in a match like this, then when will he ever get it?
As for the Real Madrid fans and their whistles, Mourinho refused to get into a confrontation with them. Responding to questions attempting to push him into saying that he was angry with the supporters, he insisted that he would not say that Mourinho was angry with the fans. He stressed that he was not angry with anyone and that he was happy with his team.
Mourinho also strongly defended Vinicius Junior, admitting that the player is not currently at 100% of his best, something he knows very well, but emphasizing that he is working harder than ever to regain his level and fitness. He pointed out that Vinicius put in a great performance against Inter for the benefit of the team, insisting that any player who works for the team will always have his support.
Mourinho explained that if Vinicius were at his absolute best, he would have finished the match much earlier, just as he did against Benfica last season.
The Portuguese manager also spoke about Inter Milan, insisting that they are by far the best team in Italy and that only Roma can come somewhat close to them. He highlighted the Italian side’s strength, their excellent squad, and their outstanding manager.
Regarding his own team’s performance, Mourinho said that the “prime” was very good before giving special praise to Aurélien Tchouaméni, who made a huge effort to be available for the match. He revealed that the player had trained only once and that the last time he had played football was at the World Cup. For that reason, Mourinho considered his appearance in a match of this level worthy of recognition and thanked him for his effort.
Despite admitting that Real Madrid should have put the game to bed much earlier, Mourinho saw a clear positive, stressing that Real Madrid fights until the very end.
As for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who played in midfield, Mourinho confirmed that the player handled the task of covering Inter’s midfielders very well. He admitted that Trent lost possession a few times, but considered that normal because playing in midfield is completely different from playing at full-back.
Mourinho explained that a midfielder is surrounded by the pitch from all directions, whereas at full-back, a player is positioned on one side of the field. Despite emphasizing that Trent is not a midfielder and that the role was difficult for him, Mourinho praised what he produced, stressing that he gave everything he had and that he appreciated his effort.