Jose Mourinho: Real Madrid will be just as happy to win 1-0

Jose Mourinho says Real Madrid’s success should not be judged solely by the number of goals they score, despite extending their winning start to La Liga with a 4-0 victory over Malaga.

The result, secured in the third round of the competition, was Real Madrid’s third consecutive win under the Portuguese manager. It followed victories over Espanyol and Real Sociedad and left the club top of the table with nine points from nine.

Malaga are 19th, second from bottom, with one point.

Mourinho said the second half against Malaga demonstrated that football could be enjoyed even when a team is not constantly attacking or adding to its advantage.

“We managed the game at a slower pace in the second half. Malaga kept the ball more, but when we wanted to increase the tempo, we felt we could score more goals,” Mourinho told the club’s television channel.

“Our objective was to keep a clean sheet. You cannot always attack ferociously.”

Real Madrid had already established a commanding position by the interval and were able to control the match after the break. Mourinho stressed that maintaining defensive organisation was as important as pursuing further goals.

He also underlined his intention to rotate the squad during the season, saying every member of the group had the ability to contribute.

“My aim is to rotate the team, and I told the players that I would make a lot of changes. All the players have quality,” he said.

Mourinho added that supporters should appreciate more than the most spectacular moments of a match.

“It is important that people enjoyed their time at the game, but they must understand football and enjoy the second half as well,” he said.

The manager cited Vinicius Junior’s work without the ball as an example of the qualities he values. The Brazilian forward would attempt to win possession back whenever he lost it, Mourinho said, describing that commitment as evidence of Real Madrid’s collective strength.

“When Vinicius Junior lost the ball, he went back to recover it. Football is not only about enjoying the goals, but also about feeling that we are a united team,” Mourinho said.

“We have scored 10 goals in three matches, but we will win some games 1-0 and we will be just as happy.”

The victory over Malaga completed a perfect opening three matches for Real Madrid under Mourinho. Their nine-point total placed them at the summit of the Spanish top flight, while Malaga’s single point left them in 19th place.