Mourinho calls for captain's sacrifice from Valverde
Getty ImagesMourinho arrived at the pre-match press conference in Athens with a clear message regarding the leadership and versatility of Federico Valverde. The Real Madrid boss emphasized that the Uruguayan's status as club captain necessitates a selfless approach to the team's tactical needs, particularly given the current constraints within the squad. With defensive absences looming, Mourinho suggested that Valverde must be prepared to step out of his preferred role if the collective interests of the team require it during this busy European period.
"I see Fede as an extremely important player for the team," the former Chelsea and Manchester United manager explained to the media. "The fact of being Real Madrid's captain makes him look around in a different way. When you are the captain, you have to be different. It is a responsibility and I think that will make him play wherever is necessary for his team and for his teammates. That is what a captain is to me and that is why I am convinced it will not be a problem for Fede to play wherever. If needed at left-back, he will do it because of the responsibility of a captain," he added.
Tactical depth and Vinicius Junior's starting role
Despite the praise for Valverde's potential at full-back, Mourinho admitted that the lack of depth in the middle of the park means the player will likely see plenty of action in his natural position. He noted that while the team often performs better with Valverde providing energy on the flank, the availability of only a handful of senior midfielders - including Tchouaméni, Camavinga, Bernardo, and Thiago - necessitates careful management of his minutes across both roles.
Turning his attention to the forward line, Mourinho confirmed that Vinicius Junior would be in the starting XI for the match against AEK. "Don't forget Brahim, Endrick... We have a lot of quality players there. Having many players is never a problem for me. Diomande can play on both wings, Brahim too, Endrick on the right, but also on the left... Of all of them, Vini is the player best suited to playing on the left wing. We know that," the manager explained during the briefing.
Tributes for De Miguel and Champions League ambitions
The atmosphere of the press conference was noticeably dampened by the news of the death of Jesus de Miguel. Mourinho opened his remarks by expressing his shock at the incident, extending his condolences to the family and friends of the deceased. He noted the difficulty for everyone involved in professional football when such a tragedy occurs on the pitch, highlighting the psychological toll it takes on fellow competitors. The manager appeared visibly affected by the news, describing it as a "very complicated moment" for the entire footballing community as they process the loss of a colleague.
As the conversation shifted back to the Champions League, Mourinho remained grounded despite the prospect of winning the trophy with a third different club. Having previously tasted European success with Porto and Inter, he acknowledged the prestige of doing so with Madrid but insisted on focusing on the immediate task at hand.
"The reality is that we still need points to qualify. We are close to the playoff, but not to direct qualification for the round of 16," he warned. He concluded the session with a characteristic touch of irony, suggesting it takes three years for the best of his work to be fully realized at a club.