Mourinho outlines three-year vision as Real Madrid face AEK Athens test

Jose Mourinho says he needs three years to take Real Madrid to “perfection”, while insisting Federico Valverde will continue to play wherever the team requires him.

The Real Madrid manager was speaking at a news conference on Tuesday before Wednesday’s Champions League league-phase meeting with AEK Athens in Greece. He also discussed his attacking options, Arda Guler’s development and the difficulty of facing the Greek champions.

Valverde to remain a versatile option

Mourinho said he was satisfied with Valverde’s performances at right-back, but expects the Uruguay international to return to midfield because Real Madrid have limited alternatives in that area.

“I see Fede as a hugely important player for the team,” Mourinho said, in comments reported by Spanish newspaper AS. “Being Real Madrid’s captain makes him look at things from a different perspective. When you are captain, you have to be different. It is a responsibility, and I think that will make him ready to play in any position his team and his team-mates need.

“That is what a captain is to me, so I am convinced that playing in any position will not be a problem for Fede.”

Valverde previously expressed his frustration at being moved between positions last season.

Mourinho added: “The team was built with Fede in midfield, which means we do not have a large number of players in that position. We have Tchouameni, Camavinga, Bernardo and Tiago Pitarch, and that is almost everything.

“So I am sure Fede will also return to playing in midfield. Am I happy with him at right-back? Yes. Does the team perform better on that side with him there? Yes. We all like having him at right-back, but he will also need to play in midfield.”

Mourinho praises attacking depth

Asked whether Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappe and Yan Diomande could start together against AEK Athens, and whether they would operate in fixed positions, Mourinho pointed to the strength of his squad.

“You are forgetting Brahim and Endrick as well,” he said. “We have many quality players here. For me, having a large number of players is never a problem.”

Mourinho said Diomande and Brahim can play on either wing, while Endrick can operate on the right or left. However, he identified Vinicius as the most natural option on the left.

“Vinicius is the player most accustomed to playing on the left wing, and we know that very well,” he said.

Guler unavailable for AEK match

Mourinho declined to assess whether Guler had developed into a player among the elite, confirming that he would miss Wednesday’s match.

“He is out of tomorrow’s game,” Mourinho joked. “Ask me on Friday,” referring to the day before Real Madrid’s La Liga game against Valencia.

AEK challenge

Mourinho warned that AEK Athens would provide a difficult test, citing the strength of the opposition, the conditions in Greece and the extra motivation teams gain when facing Real Madrid.

“They are champions, and we have faced many champions in these eight matches,” he said. “Greece is always difficult, and Real Madrid, the kings of Europe, have won only once in eight visits to Greece.”

He added: “I played here twice many years ago, and I know how difficult it is to play in these conditions. They also have a very difficult Champions League schedule, and they will certainly see playing at home as their best opportunity to earn points.

“Every opponent is highly motivated when they see the white shirt. It is a match in which we must be completely focused and ready. If we are not, we will not win.”

Asked how long he needed to deliver perfection after almost four months in charge, Mourinho replied: “Three years. Three seasons.”

He signed a three-year contract at the start of the season, keeping him as Real Madrid manager until June 2029.