José Mourinho addressed the media at the Bernabéu ahead of Real Madrid's fifth La Liga match against Rayo Vallecano on Saturday at 9 p.m. CEST.
Mourinho described the team as "happy, united, and working well." He emphasized the importance of player recovery and noted that tactical training was short and low-intensity, reflecting respect for the opponent. Rayo enters following a victory.
On Vinicius Jr, Mourinho acknowledged the player "hasn't been at that level yet" but expressed confidence that "the best will come" and asserted that goals "will arrive soon." The coach cited a Portuguese proverb about throwing stones only at fruit-bearing trees, explaining that criticism of Vinicius Jr stems from people wanting the best from him.
Mourinho underlined that Vinicius Jr is "working harder than ever." Data supports the assessment: the player is "very close to his top speed" this season and has broken his personal records for both balls recovered and balls recovered in the defensive third, demonstrating increased defensive work rate.
Mourinho also thanked Beñat San José for what he called "overly kind words" and said he felt he "didn't deserve so much" praise.
