Mourinho praises Real Madrid’s response as fixture pressure leaves him battling fever

Jose Mourinho said Real Madrid’s players were suffering from severe physical fatigue after their 3-0 win over Valencia in La Liga, a result that also moved him to the top of the competition’s all-time victory list among coaches to have managed at least 100 matches.

The Portuguese manager said his latest record was a source of pride, but insisted it would quickly be forgotten unless Real Madrid continued to win.

“Do my records matter? They tell me we have to win the next match,” Mourinho said at his post-match news conference. “In this life, beautiful records are forgotten. We do not feed on the past; we live in the present.

“I did not know about this record, but it is a source of pride for me. La Liga has had some outstanding managers, so to be part of these figures is a great honour.”

Mourinho was also pleased with the way his players dealt with the match’s flashpoints, saying they remained composed rather than reacting to provocation.

“We stayed calm and did not get drawn into responding to the provocations,” he said. “The red card seemed extremely clear to me. As for the yellow card shown to Mbappe, I thought play could have been allowed to continue. I believe the referee did a really excellent job.”

Mourinho concerned by international break

With the international break approaching, Mourinho said he would be difficult for national-team coaches to deal with if he ever took charge of a country.

“I do not know whether I will one day become a national-team manager, but if that happens, I will be extremely annoying with the clubs and I will think about my own interests,” he said. “That is why I do not have the courage to call anyone now.”

“National-team managers certainly do not want any player to be injured because of the accumulation of matches and fatigue. I hope we are lucky.”

Mourinho added that Real Madrid had continued to improve without allowing defeats to create disorder inside the squad.

“That makes me happy because we have never been in a state of chaos,” he said. “We stayed calm, understood the reasons for our defeats and continued to work quietly.”

He also warned against allowing a run of victories to produce excessive celebration at a club of Real Madrid’s size.

“I will fight to ensure everyone maintains their balance during the good periods,” Mourinho said. “Winning matches with a team as big as Real Madrid should not turn into madness and exaggerated joy. It should be normal.”

Mourinho jokes about illness

Mourinho then joked about his own condition after revealing that he was exhausted and had a fever.

“I am completely worn out,” he said. “I feel tired and I have a fever. If I recover, I will go to an American football league.”

He also described a conversation with his friend Aguirre after the match.

“I went out immediately to speak to my friend Aguirre,” Mourinho said. “I told him not to be sad because my players are much better than his players. Aguirre is not the problem. When you have players like the ones I have, your chances of winning are greater.”

Tavernes de la Valldigna are listed as Real Madrid’s opponents in the Copa del Rey on 10 November 2026. Real Madrid are then scheduled to face Valencia in La Liga on 21 November 2026, with Celta Vigo also listed in the fixture information.