Jose Mourinho had plenty to discuss after Real Madrid’s 4-1 victory over Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabeu, but Arda Guler’s apparent elbow on Peque became one of the main talking points of his post-match press conference.
The Turkish midfielder appeared to strike the Sevilla forward while the pair were running towards goal without either player having possession of the ball.
Mourinho, however, insisted he had not seen the footage needed to assess the incident, while leaving the door open to revisiting the matter if clear evidence emerged.
The Real Madrid manager also discussed Federico Valverde’s versatility, Yan Diomande’s development, Vinicius Junior’s return to the starting line-up and Eder Militao’s recovery from injury.
Mourinho responds to Arda Guler incident against Sevilla
The incident involving Guler and Peque attracted attention after Real Madrid’s comfortable win, with Mourinho asked about the reaction to the apparent contact and the concerns raised by Luis Garcia Plaza.
Arda Guler was involved in a controversial incident. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
The Portuguese coach maintained that he could not make a judgement without seeing the relevant images, while insisting he would publicly acknowledge a decision that benefited his team if he believed it was warranted.
“Nobody has been able to show me what they say happened. I don’t have a single image.
“I’ve asked the TV cameras, but I haven’t been able to see any footage of the things they’re talking about, the things that upset Luis Garcia Plaza.
“If, by Saturday – when we have our next league press conference – someone sends me a clear and objective image of something I haven’t seen, I’ll be there. But for now, nothing.
“I can tell you in all honesty that if one day something happens that I believe has benefited us, I’ll have no problem coming out and saying so.
“But I think the opposite is going to happen to us more often, because that’s the natural way of things,” addressed the manager.
Mourinho also addressed the controversy surrounding the Betis-Barcelona match, revealing that he had not watched the game.
Instead, he had followed the Bundesliga encounter between Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig.
“I haven’t seen the match. I watched Leipzig. Even if the players don’t get together, I usually do – I’m old-school – and I watched Bayern v Leipzig.
“I swear, I’m not joking. I heard the rumours afterwards, but it’s no surprise to me. ‘One more day at the office’ – Mourinho at his best.”
Mourinho explains Valverde decision and assesses Diomande
Federico Valverde started at full-back despite Trent Alexander-Arnold and Denzel Dumfries being available, with Mourinho explaining why he preferred the Uruguayan in that position.
Federico Valverde played a right-back. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)
“This is Valverde, one of the most versatile players in football; he can play anywhere and to an extremely high standard.
“He put in a top-class performance; it’s not easy for a manager to leave two quality full-backs on the bench, but I felt that behind Endrick I’d really benefit from having a full-back who could drop deep and was also capable of playing well.
“And Fede has done very well. But I don’t have to convince him of anything. He’s the captain; if he has to play in goal, I’ll give him the gloves and the goal.”
Mourinho was also asked about Yan Diomande and the €125 million fee mentioned in the question.
While identifying areas for improvement, the manager praised the young player’s performance and potential.
“He’s got a lot of room for improvement; he’s young, he’s naive – a work in progress. The standards here are very high.
“Instead of playing to the standard of the 25 million paid for him, he’s playing to the standard of the 125 million… He’s got a lot to improve on, but he put in a great performance.
“He can still improve his finishing; he gets into dangerous areas a lot but still struggles to relax at the last second, lift his head and look for his teammates.”
Vinicius set to start against Leipzig as Militao builds fitness
Mourinho confirmed that Vinicius Jr. would return to the starting line-up for Wednesday’s Champions League match against RB Leipzig.
Ederi Militao finally returned for Real Madrid. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
The forward had not featured against Sevilla due to suspension, allowing him to work on his fitness ahead of the European fixture.
“He’ll be in the starting line-up on Wednesday. The Champions League will keep him motivated. Let’s hope he does well – he’s fresh and has worked hard on his fitness as he didn’t play today.
“And let’s hope things go his way, as he deserves and as we need them to, because Leipzig aren’t the same side that lost to Bayern. They’re a different team.”
Lastly, Mourinho also offered an encouraging assessment of Eder Militao, who recently returned after a lengthy spell out injured.
The defender has spent three weeks training with the squad, but the manager stressed the importance of patience as he works towards full fitness.
“He’s very good. He’s been training with the squad for just three weeks after such a long time out.
“He’s still got a long way to go, but you can see his potential in training. He’s a very important player for the squad.
“We need to be patient, we need to give him these small opportunities so his confidence can grow. Bayern. That’s a different matter altogether.”
Source: AS