Real Madrid achieved a historic comeback in the Champions League, winning 4-3 against Roma after being 3-1 behind in the last ten minutes. The Portuguese coach José Mourinho was the protagonist of the return, and the club's former player, Josip Mijatović, highlighted on SER radio how his substitutions changed the course of the match.
Mijatović recalled that the first half caused him some concern, since Roma usually plays “man to man”, which demands a lot from the players in the 90 minutes. “The first half had me a little worried, especially knowing how Roma plays,” he explained. According to him, Mourinho had already predicted that the first phase of the match would be weak for the Madrid team and was confident that Roma's resistance would be compromised at the end.
The decisive moment came when Mourinho replaced players who “could get angry”, such as Vinícius Júnior, and introduced players with more energy from the bench. "He has been fantastic, waiting for the right moment and even changing players who could get angry, to put people who come off the bench with more enthusiasm. That has changed the game," said the former forward. Mijatović stressed that Mourinho's “old wolf's nose” allows him to identify players who can star without starting and that the comeback gives them a dose of confidence.
The former player also pointed out that, although the result was positive, Real Madrid still has areas to improve and that Mourinho knows it. “There are many things in which Real Madrid has to improve and Mourinho knows it,” he commented. Furthermore, he highlighted that the coach is clear about who he can trust and when to do so, which allows him to keep the players motivated and prepared for the comeback.
With the victory, Real Madrid advances in the group stage of the Champions League and consolidates confidence in the coaching staff. The next challenge will be to maintain the pace and discipline in the upcoming matches, where Mourinho's experience and the ability of his substitutions will continue to be key to the club's success.