Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho addressed the media after his team's 4-1 victory over Sevilla on Sunday night. He highlighted Fede Valverde's adaptability following his performance at right-back, stating, "This is Valverde, one of the most versatile players in football. He can play anywhere and at a very high level. He’s had a great game; it's not easy for a coach to leave two quality full-backs on the bench, but my feeling was that behind Endrick, I’d really benefit from a full-back with attacking flair and the quality to play. Fede has done very well. But I can’t convince him of anything. He’s the captain; if he has to play goalkeeper, I’ll give him the gloves and that’s it."
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Mourinho also assessed the overall match performance, saying it was good with many players showing individual excellence. "We controlled it from the first minute to the last. We scored quality goals and had possession, which doesn’t always reflect the true nature of the game, but today it justifies our dominance. It’s not just about winning, which is the most important thing. It’s about winning, playing well, and having positive feelings.”
Regarding comments made by Luis Garcia, Mourinho chose to remain reserved, saying, “I’m not going to comment. I want to avoid commenting on Luis’s words, but regarding that incident, no one has shown me what they’re saying happened. I don’t have a clear image; I’ve asked for footage from the TV cameras and my tactical camera analysts, and I haven’t been able to see what they’re talking about or what bothered Luis. I’m being honest, if one day I think we’ve been favored, I won’t have a problem coming out and saying so. But I think the opposite is going to happen to us much more often; it’s the natural order of things.”
On Yan Diomande, Mourinho remarked, “He has a lot to improve. He’s young, naive, an unfinished product. The demands here are very high. He played a great game but needs to improve his finishing. He gets into dangerous areas a lot, but he struggles to relax in the final seconds.” Mourinho compared him to Vinicius Jr., noting that improvement comes with time and experience.
When asked about team adjustments, Mourinho focused on the Champions League, stating, “I’m only thinking about the Champions League until Wednesday at 11:00 PM, then I’ll focus on the Clásico on Sunday.” He mentioned that while many players deserve to play, squad depth makes selection challenging. He added that even the player who scored the winning goal in Rome, Rüdiger, was left on the bench.
Mourinho confirmed that Vinicius Jr. would start on Wednesday and expressed optimism regarding his motivation. He also emphasized the collective contributions of his squad, stating, “Each one contributes in their own way. Courtois is playing at a very high level; there’s no single way to evaluate meritocracy.”
Focusing on Eder Militao, Mourinho noted, “He’s very good. He’s only been training with the group for three weeks after being away for so long. He still has a long way to go, but you can see his potential in training.”
Looking ahead to the match against Leipzig, he observed the importance of progressing in the Champions League, emphasizing the heightened danger posed by teams coming off a tough loss. Finally, reflecting on his team's recent performances, he said, “We’ve only been together a very short time... We’re making the most of every minute we have.”