Mourinho asks for three months to improve Real Madrid

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho says he needs three months to improve his side, but admits that period will not turn them into an “unbeatable” team.

Real Madrid face Elche in the sixth round of La Liga, having taken 12 points from their opening five matches. They are second in the table, three points behind leaders Barcelona, who have a perfect 15-point record.

“There are people better qualified than me to discuss Arda Guler’s development and his physical transformation,” Mourinho said at his pre-match news conference. “For me, his quality is extraordinary. His vision, his decisiveness and the stability he brings to the team are remarkable, and he already has impressive statistics.”

Mourinho added: “I am asking for only three months for the team to reach its full level. Others ask for 10 years. Perhaps I did not explain myself well, but the team will improve after three months. I do not have a magic wand that can make us unbeatable in that time.

“Our objective in every training session and every match is to improve. When all the players spend more time together, and more time with the manager, the team will become stronger.”

Mourinho explains approach to pressing

The Portuguese said Real Madrid would not attempt to maintain an intense press throughout an entire match.

“It is difficult to explain pressure in the opponent’s stadium, but I do not think it is possible to press high for 90 minutes,” he said. “That is not our style, and many teams do not use it for the whole game. When we drop back, we have to work differently and be defensively complete. We need to know how to do both.”

Mourinho also said he did not favour a deep defensive block, although he would not impose a system that conflicted with his players’ strengths.

“I do not like defending in a low block, but some players and teams are more suited to that approach,” he said. “I do not want there to be a contradiction between my preferences and the players’ abilities.”

On Aurelien Tchouameni’s international situation, Mourinho said he did not know France’s plans for the international break or whether the midfielder would benefit more from training in Madrid or playing for his country.

“I have not spoken to Zinedine Zidane, but I believe he is a wise man and will know what is best,” Mourinho said. “Perhaps Tchouameni should play, but with carefully managed minutes. I trust the situation will be handled correctly.”

Mourinho said Real’s injury-prevention programme involved the players, coaching staff and medical department, including individual training based on precise data.

He added that players arriving early was not a personal demand. “When you see them on the pitch, they have already spent 35 minutes training,” he said. “We are working well and seeing positive results. Federico Valverde came off at half-time in the previous match as a precaution after feeling a minor problem. He would have continued if it had been 0-0, but at 3-0 we preferred to protect him.”

Mourinho declined to comment on Lamine Yamal’s remarks about winning the Ballon d’Or, saying he respected every player’s words.

He said Diomande had the ability to start every match for another club, but competition at Real Madrid made that difficult, with Arda Guler, Vinicius, Brahim and Rodrygo, who will be added in January, also competing for places.

On the demands of playing twice in one week, Mourinho joked that the hardest part was completing six news conferences.

“I am tired of all of you and you are tired of me, but we are here because it is our job,” he said. “The same applies to the players. They feel tired, but we have to keep working.”

He said the decision on “the big three” would depend on the players’ condition, medical advice and training data, but he would select them again against Elche if there were no concerns.