Jose Mourinho is not interested in players who think twice about joining Real Madrid and said that created doubts that Rodri was a good fit at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Spain captain Rodri last night joined Barcelona from Manchester City after a summer in which both La Liga giants pushed for his signature.
The 30-year-old’s decision to join Barca has been viewed as a victory in Catalonia but Mourinho hinted he would never want a player if he wasn’t desperate to join Madrid.
He told El Chiringuito: “Rodrigo had doubts, he hesitated… and Rodrigo’s doubts created doubts for me. He’s an extraordinary player and he behaved impeccably with us, so I have nothing negative to say. But Real Madrid is on a level where you can’t have players who need to think twice about it. You contact the player and he asks you: ‘When do I have to be there?’ That’s the idea.
“Rodrigo was very good with us and I wish him well. Not too well, obviously. But I wish him well.”
Vinicius has ‘fallen in love’ with Real Madrid – Mourinho
Bar missing out on Rodri, Madrid have had a good couple of months, bringing in several new players, including record-signing Yan Diomande, as well as persuading Vinicius Jr to sign a long-term contract after a lengthy stand-off.
“Obviously I spoke to him, but Vinicius has fallen in love with Real Madrid,” said Mourinho, who takes charge of his first league game of his second spell against Espanyol on Saturday.
“The only thing I told him was: ‘Vini, where do you want to go? You’ve only been in Brazil and you only know Real Madrid… You only understand Real Madrid when you leave. When you leave… that’s when you realise what Real Madrid is. Don’t leave. It’s not worth it.’
“I think what he has felt in terms of the group’s growth, the way we’ve been working and developing, has given him a very important feeling. Vinicius is a machine – it’s a pleasure to watch him work. We have a lot of quality.”
The Brazilian continues to receive abuse from opposing fans – he has been targeted once again in pre-season – and Mourinho believes that while Vinicius Jr can do more to provide opposing supporters with less ammunition, he remains perplexed as to why he is always the one singled out.
He added: “They don’t respect him. In stadiums… I agree with you, and I’ve spoken to him a little about that too. One thing is celebrating a goal with your own fans and another is celebrating in front of the opposing fans. You can find a little bit of balance there.
“But what sense does it make for an entire stadium to boo one of the best players in the world when you have nothing against him? You go and play a friendly in A Coruña or against Schalke and I don’t think Vinicius has played against Schalke before, or against Depor. Why do you boo him the first time he touches the ball? There has to be some kind of middle ground because watching him play is a privilege.”
Real Madrid striker Mbappe is on a ‘stratospheric level’
Vinicius will be a big player for Madrid this season as they attempt to return to the winners’ circle after two trophyless seasons, as will Kylian Mbappe.
Mbappe, like many others, struggled last season as the club imploded under Xabi Alonso and then Alvaro Arbeloa with a fractured dressing room.
“It’s not for me to judge or analyse what he did last season,” said Mourinho. “It was a strange season, a difficult season for everyone. In the end, it’s always the same story. Arbeloa and Xabi took the blame. I always say that winning or losing comes down to multiple factors.
“I told everyone at Valdebebas that on the first day, not just the players: I don’t accept one person taking all the blame or all the praise. That’s not for me. A lot of people got things wrong last year, not only coaches or players.
“When you ask me about Mbappé, I prefer to think about what Kylian can be now. A guy who could have come back on August 14 but showed up on the 12th already tells me something. The reason he wanted to come back on the 12th is because he wants to play against Schalke in at least decent condition. Then he trains like everyone else, with the same commitment, the same desire to improve and in difficult training sessions.
“Mbappé is incredible. Sometimes he makes me laugh in training. Because he’s too good. He’s on a stratospheric level.”
The Real Madrid players have been impeccable, says Mourinho
Mourinho says he has seen none of the problems that derailed Madrid last season and claims the players’ behaviour has been “impeccable”.
“I’ve found a locker room that is desperate to win,” he said. “I’ve found a locker room that is open to common sense, because all I’ve asked of them from day one is common sense. So far, I haven’t had any situation where I’ve had to be the aggressive leader I can be. They’ve protected me from that version of myself.
“Their behaviour has been impeccable. I’ve told them that what I’m asking for is common sense. Saying they have to arrive an hour before training, not five minutes before, is common sense. That’s modern soccer. You have to arrive early, you have to eat breakfast supervised by the nutritionist, you have to go to the gym every day to prevent injuries… it’s for you. It’s for us. Everything I’ve asked them to do is common sense.”
You Should Also Read
