José Mourinho, coach of Real Madrid, remained silent after the controversial match with Villarreal, but made it clear that his main concern is the next Champions League match against Roma. In the press room at the Olympic Stadium in Rome, the coach spoke about the team's situation and the importance of concentrating on the next European event, without going into details about the controversial refereeing that marked the match with Villarreal.
The coach explained that his confidence is focused on the Champions League referees, although he expressed some discomfort at knowing three weeks in advance who will be the referee of the match, something that according to him should be confirmed only 24 hours before. “I trust all the referees, but what seems strange to me is that it is known who whistles so far in advance,” he commented, stressing that he does not have any negative feelings towards the competition.
Regarding the preparation for the duel with Roma, Mourinho emphasized the need to play impeccably. "In the first two games we have played the strongest teams in Italy. In the first we got the three points with three suspended players and now it's Rome's turn," he said. He added that the team must be motivated and that the pressure of the Champions League should not be an external weight, but something that the group itself must manage. “We want to win,” he concluded.
The Villarreal issue was relegated to the background. "I don't want to comment on anything. It's a Champions League match and I have nothing to comment on the championship match," he said. He invited the media to watch the first minute of the match with Villarreal as enough to understand what happened, and assured that the debate on refereeing will be closed on Saturday.
Mourinho also spoke briefly about Fede Valverde's position, highlighting the player's versatility and his ability to make a difference at right back. “I was thinking about the possibility that later I would need more changes up front and we had many options to change,” he explained, underlining the importance of having a player who can adapt to different roles.
In order to maintain concentration, the coach recalled that Roma is one of the strongest teams in Serie A and that Real Madrid must be balanced to face the challenge. "Roma wants to win and so do I. At that moment, love is forgotten," he concluded, before closing with the idea that the match will be just another exercise on the route to the European final.