José Mourinho, coach of Real Madrid, spoke this Wednesday in El Chiringuito about the signing of Rodrigo Hernández for FC Barcelona and revealed what happened so that the world champion did not finally join the white team.
"Real Madrid made him a very good offer. I think that the Real Madrid-City relationship is very good. Without negotiating with City, Real Madrid had contacts with Rodri and made him an important offer. Rodri hesitated," he explained.
"What I think has happened, and I'm talking about myself, is that the doubts that Rodri has had have created doubts in me. He is an extraordinary player and very correct with us. I think that Madrid is of a dimension that cannot have players who think twice. If you contact, the player has to ask you when he has to go," he added.
Mourinho wished Rodri luck in his new stage at Barcelona, but he added with a laugh that although he hopes he does well in the Barça team, he hopes that he does not do "too well" either, and assured that he does not need more additions.
"There is no need to sign more. I am not saying that there will not be more signings, the market is open, but for me it is closed. I really like the squad I have. I am not lacking Rodri. We have solutions, we have quality and a ready-made squad," he said.
Likewise, he declared that he returned to Real Madrid with "much more maturity", less emotional and more controlled, although he acknowledged that his character remains intact.
"I have changed a lot, but the DNA is the same, obviously. I cannot hide or try to be what I am not. I always learn from mistakes. Regretting something that has happened does not help; learning from experiences does," he said in an interview with 'El Chiringuito', broadcast on Energy.
The Portuguese coach also revealed the origin of the bruise he had around one of his eyes. "A boy from Castilla hit me with a ball when I was wearing my glasses. That wasn't why he wasn't called up for the last game," he joked.
Regarding the dressing room he found on his return to Real Madrid, he highlighted the predisposition of his players and assured that he has not yet needed to show his most authoritarian version.
"I found a locker room with a great desire to win and open to common sense. They have protected me from that version of an aggressive leader that is also mine. Their behavior is impeccable," he explained.
Mourinho pointed out some "basic and non-negotiable" examples such as arriving an hour before training, having breakfast under the supervision of nutritionists and doing preventive work in the gym. "We are not free that something could happen during the season. It is normal for something to happen, but until now they have not given me any opportunity," he commented.
In addition, he was full of praise for Kylian Mbappé, who highlighted both his football level and his attitude since he began working with him.
"Mbappé is incredible. He made me laugh in training. He's too good. He's a player with a stratospheric level," he said.
The Portuguese coach avoided blaming the Frenchman for Real Madrid's performance during the previous season and assured that Xabi Alonso and Álvaro Arbeloa "have paid the price" for a "complicated and strange" season.
"Winning or losing is multifactorial. I do not accept blame only for some and applause only for some. Many people have failed last year, not just players or coaches," he added.
He also highlighted that Mbappé joined on August 12 even though he could have done so on the 14th to arrive fit for the match against Schalke and explained that afterwards he trained "exactly like everyone else, with the same commitment, with the desire to improve and with difficult training sessions."
Asked about the whistles at the Santiago Bernabéu and if the Frenchman should run more, he called for a collective effort and also included Jude Bellingham.
